Neuropsychological functioning of OEF/OIF combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the neuropsychological functioning of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) combat veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). More specifically, this study sought to examine whether the neuropsychological functioning of OEF/OIF combat veterans with PTSD and a comorbid mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) significantly differed from those with uncomplicated PTSD across multiple tests of cognitive functioning. To accomplish this objective, the medical records and neuropsychological assessment data of 59 OEF/OIF combat veterans with PTSD and 66 OEF/OIF combat veterans with PTSD and comorbid mild TBI were examined and included for statistical analysis. Results of this study yielded three main conclusions. First, neither group of OEF/OIF combat veterans demonstrated notable performance deficits across the battery of cognitive tests examined in this study. Second the neuropsychological functioning of OEF/OIF combat veterans with PTSD and mild TBI did not differ significantly from those combat veterans with uncomplicated PTSD across the measures of cognitive functioning examined. Finally, both groups reported depressive and anxiety symptoms in the moderate severity range, which suggests that both groups experience elevated levels of comorbid psychopathology