In this study, clinicians screened 818 civilians, such as construction workers, who helped with search, rescue, and cleanup efforts at the World Trade Center in NY.
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“This study indicates that the effects of the exposure to the World Trade Center attacks on the responders may be more pervasive and insidious than originally thought”, said Benjamin Luft, co-author of the paper, and director of the WTC Wellness Program at Stony Brook University.
The research uncovered that 1 percent had first signs of potential dementia, and approximately 13 percent displayed evidence of memory and decision-making difficulties.
Current PTSD and MDD were associated with CI.
In addition, symptoms such as flashbacks and nightmares were also consistent with cognitive impairment.
During the World Trade Center attacks, responders who helped in search, rescue, and recovery endured an array of traumatic and toxic exposures. If Clouston’s conclusions are representative of that large group it means that hundreds may be at risk for early dementia while nearly 5,000 responders may be growing mental impairment. “For example, cognitive impairment can compound the course of PTSD and depression, impairing the person beyond the impact of PTSD itself”, said Clouston.
Together, PTSD and mental impairment create a double whammy that threatens someone’s ability to handle their medicines, keep appointments and otherwise manage their day-to-day affairs, he explained.
“This is a problem we must solve”, Dr. Maria Carrillo, chief science officer at the Alzheimer’s Association, said in a press release.
PTSD affects an estimated 7.7 million Americans; the more information researchers can unearth, the easier it will be to design effective treatment and support. “There’s a lot we don’t understand about how and why PTSD may be impacting the brain and its overall function”. And for those without a PTSD diagnosis, the risk is three times as high. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2010.
It seems that the attack on the World Trade Center proceeds to ravage the minds of those who responded to the Twin Towers destruction. Since it began, more than 33,000 individuals have enrolled in the WTC Health Program.
Virtually all of the first responders in Stony Brook’s research – 818 in all – reside on Long Island.
The average age of those screened was 53 years.
Each individual was also checked by psychologists to diagnose PTSD and major depressive disorder (MDD).
For re-experiencing symptoms, longitudinal analyses suggest consistent associations with CI beginning as early as 2002.
The results were all adjusted to account for education, occupation, trauma severity, smoking, drinking obesity, respiratory disease and other major health factors.
The results were “staggering”, said Dr Sean Clouston, one of the research authors. Re-experiencing symptoms occurs when individuals react physically and emotionally to memories of past trauma that intrude during daily activities and while asleep.
The results require validation using comprehensive batteries of cognition and diagnostic evaluations by a trained clinician to diagnose the cause (s) of cognitive impairment in this population.
Although no significant association was found in this study linking head injuries and cognitive impairment, future research should explore whether prior head injury may modify the relationship between PTSD and cognitive impairment. All forms of biomarkers will be considered by the journal.
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Snyder said unraveling the puzzle of Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases is a complex undertaking. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. U.S. News & World Report ranks Stony Brook among the top 100 universities in the nation and top 40 public universities, and Kiplinger names it one of the 35 best values in public colleges.
