Interactive association of posttraumatic stress disorder, apolipoprotein ε4 genotype, and age on cognitive functioning

Karen A. Lawrence; Colton S. Rippey; Bianca Welikson; Robert H. Pietrzak; Thomas G. Adams

doi:10.1002/gps.5888

Interactive association of posttraumatic stress disorder, apolipoprotein ε4 genotype, and age on cognitive functioning

Karen A. Lawrence, Colton S. Rippey, Bianca Welikson, Robert H. Pietrzak, Thomas G. Adams

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein (APOE) gene and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are associated with cognitive deficits. Both associations may vary depending on age. No previous study has examined a possible three-way interaction between APOE ε4, PTSD, and age on cognitive functioning. Methods: Data were analyzed from 1244 European-American U.S. military veterans who participated in the 2011 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS). Analyses of covariance were used to examine the main effects and interactions of APOE ε4, PTSD, and age on learning/working memory (LWM) and attention/psychomotor (APM) performance. Results: A significant three-way interaction between APOE ε4, PTSD, and age on the LWM composite (η_p² = 0.011) was observed such that the main effect of APOE ε4 on LWM was only significant for older participants with PTSD. A significant two-way interaction between PTSD and age on the APM composite (η_p² = 0.011) was observed such that the main effect of PTSD on APM was only significant in older participants. Conclusion: Older APOE ε4 carriers with probable PTSD showed poorer LWM performance relative to other groups. Aging-related associations on APM performance were most pronounced in veterans with PTSD. These data are preliminary evidence that identification and treatment of PTSD may be beneficial for individuals at risk for age-related cognitive impairment.

Original language	English
Article number	e5888
Journal	International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
Volume	38
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5888
State	Published - Feb 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Funding

Dr. Lawrence was supported by a Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) grant (K12DA035150) from ORWH and NIDA at the NIH, Tom Curry (Principal Investigator). Drs. Adams and Pietrzak were supported by the Clinical Neuroscience Division of the NC-PTSD. Dr. Adams was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH; K23MH111977 and L30MH111037). Mr. Rippey and Mrs. Welikson have no funding to disclose. Dr. Lawrence was supported by a Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) grant (K12DA035150) from ORWH and NIDA at the NIH, Tom Curry (Principal Investigator). Drs. Adams and Pietrzak were supported by the Clinical Neuroscience Division of the NC‐PTSD. Dr. Adams was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH; K23MH111977 and L30MH111037). Mr. Rippey and Mrs. Welikson have no funding to disclose.

Funders	Funder number
Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH)	K12DA035150
NC-PTSD
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of Mental Health	K23MH111977, L30MH111037
Author National Institute on Drug Abuse DA031791 Mark J Ferris National Institute on Drug Abuse DA006634 Mark J Ferris National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism AA026117 Mark J Ferris National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism AA028162 Elizabeth G Pitts National Institute of General Medical Sciences GM102773 Elizabeth G Pitts Peter McManus Charitable Trust Mark J Ferris National Institute on Drug Abuse
Office of Research on Women's Health

Keywords

APOE
PTSD
aging adults
cognitive decline
cognitive functioning
veterans

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geriatrics and Gerontology
Psychiatry and Mental health

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1002/gps.5888

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title = "Interactive association of posttraumatic stress disorder, apolipoprotein ε4 genotype, and age on cognitive functioning",

abstract = "Background: The ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein (APOE) gene and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are associated with cognitive deficits. Both associations may vary depending on age. No previous study has examined a possible three-way interaction between APOE ε4, PTSD, and age on cognitive functioning. Methods: Data were analyzed from 1244 European-American U.S. military veterans who participated in the 2011 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS). Analyses of covariance were used to examine the main effects and interactions of APOE ε4, PTSD, and age on learning/working memory (LWM) and attention/psychomotor (APM) performance. Results: A significant three-way interaction between APOE ε4, PTSD, and age on the LWM composite (ηp2 = 0.011) was observed such that the main effect of APOE ε4 on LWM was only significant for older participants with PTSD. A significant two-way interaction between PTSD and age on the APM composite (ηp2 = 0.011) was observed such that the main effect of PTSD on APM was only significant in older participants. Conclusion: Older APOE ε4 carriers with probable PTSD showed poorer LWM performance relative to other groups. Aging-related associations on APM performance were most pronounced in veterans with PTSD. These data are preliminary evidence that identification and treatment of PTSD may be beneficial for individuals at risk for age-related cognitive impairment.",

keywords = "APOE, PTSD, aging adults, cognitive decline, cognitive functioning, veterans",

author = "Lawrence, \{Karen A.\} and Rippey, \{Colton S.\} and Bianca Welikson and Pietrzak, \{Robert H.\} and Adams, \{Thomas G.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 John Wiley \& Sons Ltd.",

year = "2023",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1002/gps.5888",

language = "English",

volume = "38",

number = "2",

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AU - Lawrence, Karen A.

AU - Rippey, Colton S.

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AU - Pietrzak, Robert H.

AU - Adams, Thomas G.

PY - 2023/2

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N2 - Background: The ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein (APOE) gene and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are associated with cognitive deficits. Both associations may vary depending on age. No previous study has examined a possible three-way interaction between APOE ε4, PTSD, and age on cognitive functioning. Methods: Data were analyzed from 1244 European-American U.S. military veterans who participated in the 2011 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS). Analyses of covariance were used to examine the main effects and interactions of APOE ε4, PTSD, and age on learning/working memory (LWM) and attention/psychomotor (APM) performance. Results: A significant three-way interaction between APOE ε4, PTSD, and age on the LWM composite (ηp2 = 0.011) was observed such that the main effect of APOE ε4 on LWM was only significant for older participants with PTSD. A significant two-way interaction between PTSD and age on the APM composite (ηp2 = 0.011) was observed such that the main effect of PTSD on APM was only significant in older participants. Conclusion: Older APOE ε4 carriers with probable PTSD showed poorer LWM performance relative to other groups. Aging-related associations on APM performance were most pronounced in veterans with PTSD. These data are preliminary evidence that identification and treatment of PTSD may be beneficial for individuals at risk for age-related cognitive impairment.

AB - Background: The ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein (APOE) gene and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are associated with cognitive deficits. Both associations may vary depending on age. No previous study has examined a possible three-way interaction between APOE ε4, PTSD, and age on cognitive functioning. Methods: Data were analyzed from 1244 European-American U.S. military veterans who participated in the 2011 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS). Analyses of covariance were used to examine the main effects and interactions of APOE ε4, PTSD, and age on learning/working memory (LWM) and attention/psychomotor (APM) performance. Results: A significant three-way interaction between APOE ε4, PTSD, and age on the LWM composite (ηp2 = 0.011) was observed such that the main effect of APOE ε4 on LWM was only significant for older participants with PTSD. A significant two-way interaction between PTSD and age on the APM composite (ηp2 = 0.011) was observed such that the main effect of PTSD on APM was only significant in older participants. Conclusion: Older APOE ε4 carriers with probable PTSD showed poorer LWM performance relative to other groups. Aging-related associations on APM performance were most pronounced in veterans with PTSD. These data are preliminary evidence that identification and treatment of PTSD may be beneficial for individuals at risk for age-related cognitive impairment.

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Interactive association of posttraumatic stress disorder, apolipoprotein ε4 genotype, and age on cognitive functioning

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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