The purpose of the current study was to explore cognitive functioning associated with the polytrauma clinical triad in a sample of post-9/11... Show moreThe purpose of the current study was to explore cognitive functioning associated with the polytrauma clinical triad in a sample of post-9/11 veterans. More specifically, it sought to determine if a component (i.e., PTSD, mTBI, or pain), in the context of the triad, accounted for variability in attention and memory functioning as measured by neuropsychological assessments. The study also sought to evaluate the relation between PTSD and cognition more comprehensively by examining if the four PTSD symptom clusters were associated with differential patterns of neuropsychological performances. Participants included 111 veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn, otherwise known as post-9/11 veterans. Participants completed a brief structured interview and neuropsychological battery. Several hierarchical regressions examined the association between the polytrauma clinical triad and performances on select measures of attention and memory. Results indicated that the triad did not significantly predict sustained attention, visual memory, or verbal memory. These findings suggested that despite the rates of the polytrauma clinical triad among a significant portion of post-9/11 veterans, the current evidence does not support the presence of related cognitive impairment. Show less
