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The effect of childhood trauma on spatial cognition in adults: a possible role of sex

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Abstract

Although animal evidence indicates that early life trauma results in pervasive hippocampal deficits underlying spatial and cognitive impairment, visuo-spatial data from adult humans with early childhood adversity are lacking. We administered 4 tests of visuo-spatial ability from the Cambridge Neuorpsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) to adults with a history of childhood trauma (measured by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire) and a matched sample of healthy controls (trauma/control = 27/28). We observed a significant effect of trauma history on spatial/pattern learning. These effects could not be accounted for by adverse adult experiences, and were sex-specific, with prior adversity improving performance in men but worsening performance in women, relative to controls. Limitations include the small sample size and reliance of our study design on a retrospective, self report measure. Our results suggest that early adversity can lead to specific and pervasive deficits in adult cognitive function.

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Acknowledgment

We would like to thank everyone who took part in this study

Role of funding source

Dr. Supriya Syal was supported by a Claude Leon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship during the analysis and writing of this study.

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The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Supriya Syal, Jonathan Ipser, Nicole Phillips, Jack van der Honk & Dan J. Stein

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Kevin G. F. Thomas

  3. Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands

    Jack van der Honk

  4. 92, UCT Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Groote Schuur Hospital (J-2), Anzio Rd, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa

    Supriya Syal

  5. Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Supriya Syal

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  1. Supriya Syal
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  2. Jonathan Ipser
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Correspondence to Supriya Syal.

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Syal, S., Ipser, J., Phillips, N. et al. The effect of childhood trauma on spatial cognition in adults: a possible role of sex. Metab Brain Dis 29, 301–310 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-014-9497-4

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