PTSD Tied to Cognitive Decline in Middle-Aged Women
Women who experience the severe, persistent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be at increased risk for accelerated cognitive decline by the time they reach middle age, a new study suggests.For the study, researchers examined data on 12,270 women who were 61 years old on average and had some exposure to trauma in their past. Traumatic exposure could include life-threatening illnesses or injuries, natural disaster, war, or sexual or physical assault that participants experienced or witnessed.Overall, 8,218 women, or 67 percent, reported some PTSD symptoms related to traumatic experiences. Roughly 41 percent of the women in the study reported milder PTSD with one to three symptoms, while 17 percent experienced moderate PTSD with four or five symptoms, and almost 8 percent had high levels of PTSD with six or…