Abstract
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is often associated with cognitive deficits, but there are still some differences regarding cognitive functions affected. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of PTSD on working memory, visual short-term memory, long-term episodic memory, long-term semantic memory and prospective memory. The sample consisted of 20 women aged between 20 and 60 years, ten women from the Program of Assistance and Research on Violence of the Federal University of São Paulo (PROVE) diagnosed with PTSD and overlapping violence (GTEPT) and ten women control of the same age and educational level (GC). The instrument used was the Brief Neuropsychological Assessment Instrument (NEUPSILIN). Data were analyzed by Student’s t-test for dependent samples, and the significance level was 5%. The results obtained from the analysis NEUPSILIN point to the losses in working memory (p = 0.04) and prospective memory (p = 0.02) associated with PTSD. Differences between groups were not observed on other types of memory investigated (p > 0.05). The findings of this study on losses in working memory and prospective memory associated with PTSD are in agreement with the literature. Both functions are critical to the performance of daily activities. Therefore, intervention and rehabilitation of these functions in the subject with PTSD can help significantly in improving the quality of life.
Memory; Complex PTSD; Violence; Women