Cognitive impairment in post-traumatic stress disorder

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common mental health disorder, with an incidence of up to 12.5% among primary care patients. Most often, PTSD is detected in combat veterans, victims of terrorist attacks and terror, but it can also be a consequence of traumatic brain injury and medical interventions. Impaired cognitive functioning is a key feature of PTSD, including attention deficits and reduced processing speed, executive dysfunction, and impairments in verbal learning and memory. Cognitive impairments in PTSD are significantly persistent and are largely similar in nature to neuropsychological impairments in neurodegenerative pathology. Possible pathogenetic mechanisms underlying PTSD are the development of neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and decreased production of neurotrophic factors. One of the promising areas of treatment is the use of Cerebrolysin, which has powerful neurotrophic and anti-inflammatory activity.