Influences of Aging on PTSD Prevalence, Neurobiology, and Clinical Course

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 6.8% of adults in the United States and is associated with high rates of disability, comorbid medical and psychiatric disorders, and suicide. Recent studies report increasing prevalence rates of PTSD among older adults, and this pattern is anticipated to accelerate as the population skews older and Veterans from recent conflicts age. Most older adults suffer from chronic PTSD, which is associated with at least one disability in nearly 80% of cases. Compared to those without PTSD, individuals with chronic PTSD have exceedingly high rates of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), triple the rates of drug abuse, and significant functional impairment. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of PTSD in later life is complicated by its differing phenomenology in older compared to younger adults and age-related changes in treatment seeking. Whereas overall symptom severity, intrusive thoughts, and avoidance behaviors are lower among older adults with PTSD, they more frequently report somatic problems (e.g., pain, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset) relative to emotional issues (e.g., specific aspects of the trauma). Older patients may not spontaneously report traumatic experiences or minimize their importance, use generic terms such as “stress”, and generally present to primary medical doctors rather than specialty mental health settings. In terms of treatment, few studies of exposure-based psychotherapies are randomized, older adults are rarely enrolled, and almost none evaluate the most evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD, Prolonged Exposure therapy. Analyses of prescribing trends using Veterans Affairs (VA) databases suggest that only about half of veterans (all ages) with PTSD receive first-line pharmacotherapy agents such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), with even lower medication prescription in older compared to younger adults.In this symposium the influence of age-related factors will be discussed on the prevalence, development of PTSD given a traumatic stimulus, clinical presentation in terms of symptom profiles, underlying neurobiology, treatment responsivity, and illness course. Speakers will engage the audience in a discussion of what makes PTSD different in older adults compared to younger adults and what are the implications of these differences on clinical evaluation and treatment. Dr. Joan Cook will present data comparing characteristics of younger vs. older sexual assault survivors in order to discuss clinical and research implications. Next, Dr. Vanessa Simiola will present electronic health record and utilization data and discuss age-based differences between diagnoses made in primary care versus specialty mental health, differences in mental health treatment receipt, as well as clinical characteristics of the samples. Then, Dr. Xi Zhu will delve into data suggesting higher rates of MDD in older adults with PTSD and present her analyses of network connectivity differences discriminating PTSD from comorbid PTSD/MDD. Finally, Dr. Bret Rutherford will present data from an ongoing NIMH study in which older adults with PTSD are compared to trauma-exposed healthy controls (TEHCs) on cognitive, physical functioning, and neuroimaging indices. Two-year follow up data will be reviewed to consider the differing cognitive and physical functioning trajectories experienced over time between PTSD and TEHC participants. Finally, an audience discussion synthesizing all three of the talks will be held, with ample opportunity for audience members to ask questions of each speaker.