3199 Memory function and post-traumatic stress disorder related to civilian conflict: findings from the <u>NICOLA</u> study

Abstract Background A link between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and deficits in memory has been reported but often in specialised cohorts of veterans, refugees or other trauma-exposed groups. The Northern Ireland (NI) population were exposed to a prolonged period of civilian conflict known as ‘the Troubles’ and this study aims to examine the association with PTSD and cognitive performance using data from the Northern Ireland COhort for the Longitudinal study of Ageing (NICOLA). Methods Seventeen NI Troubles related exposures were measured in addition to self-reported traumatic events. PTSD symptoms were measured using the PTSD Checklist Civilian version (PCL-C). Linear regression models were used to estimate the effect of PTSD on the objective continuous cognitive measures; immediate and delayed verbal recall, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), Animal naming and Colour Trails test 2 for 2142 participants that had complete data for key variables. Results Based on PTSD symptoms over the previous month, 247 (11.5%) met clinical criteria for current PTSD and nearly 60% of those reported the NI Troubles as their self-reported worst traumatic event exposure. Individuals with PTSD recalled approximately half a word less than those without PTSD on the tests of verbal recall (β −0.47, [−0.71, −0.22]) and scored lower on the global cognitive assessments MMSE (β −0.40, [−0.63, −0.17]) and MOCA (β −1.11, [−1.56, −0.65]), after accounting for sociodemographic characteristics. However, this effect was attenuated after further adjusting for health behaviours and current depression. Conclusion Findings demonstrate that NI continues to have high prevalence of PTSD and suggests an effect of trauma on cognitive function in older adults at a population level. Future research should explore the nature of this relationship over time and is an important public health question as those that lived throughout the worst years of the NI Troubles reach older age.