TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of a history of child abuse on cognitive performance
T2 - a cross-sectional study in older patients with a depressive, anxiety, or somatic symptom disorder
AU - Tjoelker, F. M.
AU - Jeuring, H. W.
AU - Aprahamian, I.
AU - Naarding, P.
AU - Marijnissen, R. M.
AU - Hendriks, G. J.
AU - Rhebergen, D.
AU - Lugtenburg, A.
AU - Lammers, M. W.
AU - van den Brink, R. H. S.
AU - Oude Voshaar, R. C.
N1 - Funding Information: The ROM-GPS is supported by the Rob Giel Research institute (management of the study) as well as the participating mental health organisations (research nurses & psychologists). Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).
PY - 2022/12/1
Y1 - 2022/12/1
N2 - Background: Child abuse is a major global burden with an enduring negative impact on mental and physical health. A history of child abuse is consistently associated with worse cognitive performance among adults; data in older age groups are inconclusive. Since affective symptoms and cognitive functioning are interrelated among older persons, a synergistic effect can be assumed in patients with affective symptoms who also have suffered from child abuse. This study examines the association between a history of child abuse and cognitive performance in such patients. Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from the ‘Routine Outcome Monitoring for Geriatric Psychiatry & Science’ project, including 179 older adults (age 60–88 years) with either a unipolar depressive, any anxiety, or somatic symptom disorder referred to specialized geriatric mental health care. A history of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, and emotional neglect was assessed with a structured interview. Cognitive functioning was measured with three paper and pencils tests (10-words verbal memory test, Stroop Colour-Word test, Digit Span) and four tests from the computerized Cogstate Test Battery (Detection Test, Identification Test, One Card Learning Test, One Back Test). The association between a history of child abuse and cognitive performance was examined by multiple linear regression analyses adjusted for covariates. Results: Principal component analyses of nine cognitive parameters revealed four cognitive domains, i.e., visual-verbal memory, psychomotor speed, working memory and interference control. A history of child abuse was not associated with any of these cognitive domains. However, when looking at the specific types of child abuse separately, a history of physical abuse and emotional neglect were associated with poorer interference control. A history of physical abuse was additionally associated with better visual-verbal memory. Conclusions: The association between a history of child abuse and cognitive performance differs between the different types of abuse. A history of physical abuse might particularly be a key determinant of cognitive performance in older adults with a depressive, anxiety, or somatic symptom disorder. Future studies on the impact of these disorders on the onset of dementia should take child abuse into account. Trial registration: ROM-GPS is registered at the Dutch Trial Register (NL6704 at www.trialregister.nl).
AB - Background: Child abuse is a major global burden with an enduring negative impact on mental and physical health. A history of child abuse is consistently associated with worse cognitive performance among adults; data in older age groups are inconclusive. Since affective symptoms and cognitive functioning are interrelated among older persons, a synergistic effect can be assumed in patients with affective symptoms who also have suffered from child abuse. This study examines the association between a history of child abuse and cognitive performance in such patients. Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from the ‘Routine Outcome Monitoring for Geriatric Psychiatry & Science’ project, including 179 older adults (age 60–88 years) with either a unipolar depressive, any anxiety, or somatic symptom disorder referred to specialized geriatric mental health care. A history of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, and emotional neglect was assessed with a structured interview. Cognitive functioning was measured with three paper and pencils tests (10-words verbal memory test, Stroop Colour-Word test, Digit Span) and four tests from the computerized Cogstate Test Battery (Detection Test, Identification Test, One Card Learning Test, One Back Test). The association between a history of child abuse and cognitive performance was examined by multiple linear regression analyses adjusted for covariates. Results: Principal component analyses of nine cognitive parameters revealed four cognitive domains, i.e., visual-verbal memory, psychomotor speed, working memory and interference control. A history of child abuse was not associated with any of these cognitive domains. However, when looking at the specific types of child abuse separately, a history of physical abuse and emotional neglect were associated with poorer interference control. A history of physical abuse was additionally associated with better visual-verbal memory. Conclusions: The association between a history of child abuse and cognitive performance differs between the different types of abuse. A history of physical abuse might particularly be a key determinant of cognitive performance in older adults with a depressive, anxiety, or somatic symptom disorder. Future studies on the impact of these disorders on the onset of dementia should take child abuse into account. Trial registration: ROM-GPS is registered at the Dutch Trial Register (NL6704 at www.trialregister.nl).
KW - Adverse childhood experiences
KW - Aged
KW - Anxiety disorders
KW - Child abuse
KW - Cognition
KW - Cognitive performance
KW - Mental health
KW - Mood disorders
KW - Somatic symptom disorders
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85128982609&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03068-6
DO - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03068-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 35484493
SN - 1471-2318
VL - 22
JO - BMC geriatrics
JF - BMC geriatrics
IS - 1
M1 - 377
ER -