Understanding Neurocognitive Impairment After Trauma Exposure
- Conditions
- Trauma, PsychologicalEarthquake
- Interventions
- Other: Trauma exposure
- Registration Number
- NCT05090046
- Lead Sponsor
- University of Otago
- Brief Summary
Individuals living in Canterbury (New Zealand) have experienced significant stress related to the Canterbury earthquake sequence. Previous research conducted at the Department of Psychological Medicine (Christchurch, New Zealand) has shown significant cognitive difficulties in a group of Cantabrians exposed to high levels of earthquake trauma. A high proportion (30%) perceive themselves to have significant cognitive difficulties, even seven years post-earthquake. People who perceive that they have cognitive difficulties find this distressing and tend to function less well in work and parenting. Understanding pathways underlying cognitive difficulties in the population is vital for developing appropriate treatments and strategies to help with this.
This will be the first study to investigate rates of, and factors contributing to, perceived cognitive difficulties in a large population exposed to multiple stressors and is important for the population of Canterbury, and populations affected by natural and man-made disasters worldwide.
Four hundred and sixty people who were exposed to the Canterbury earthquake sequence will be recruited from the Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS). Psychological, cognitive, functional and biological factors will be compared between those with the greatest levels of perceived cognitive difficulty and those with the lowest levels of difficulty. This will determine what factors relate most strongly to perceived cognitive difficulties, which will in turn be used to develop treatments for this population.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 128
- Cohort member of the Christchurch Health and Development Study (born in 1977)
- Exposed to the Canterbury earthquake sequence
- In the highest or lowest quartile with regards to score on the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire
- lifetime diagnosed psychotic disorder
- previous moderate to severe head injury (> 30 minutes loss of consciousness)
- current pregnancy
- intellectual disability (IQ < 80)
- residing outside of Canterbury
Study & Design
- Study Type
- OBSERVATIONAL
- Study Design
- Not specified
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS) Trauma exposure The Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS) is a birth cohort study comprising 1265 people born in Christchurch in 1977. Participants have been followed to age 40, with 75-80% retention at data collection points.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Subjective cognitive function Past 6 months Assessed with the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire Minimum score = 0, maximum score = 100, higher scores reflect worse subjective cognitive function
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Visuospatial learning and memory Baseline Z-scores from variables of the Groton Maze Learning Test (CogState) will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Visuospatial Learning and Memory', with higher scores reflecting better performance.
Metabolic markers Baseline Blood levels of HbA1C, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (calc), triglycerides
Global cognitive composite Baseline Global cognitive composite will average Z-scores across the cognitive domains of (i) verbal learning and memory, (ii) visuospatial learning and memory, (iii) psychomotor speed, (iv) executive function, (v) working memory, (vi) sustained attention, and (vii) emotion processing. The Global cognitive composite score will be a single, averaged Z-value score, with a higher score reflecting better objective cognitive performance.
Verbal learning and memory Baseline Z-scores from variables of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Verbal Learning and Memory', with higher scores reflecting better performance.
Stressful life events Past 5 years Number of stressful life events is assessed with the Life Events Scale (adapted from the Crisis in Family Systems - Revised Questionnaire) Minimum score = 0, higher score reflects more stressful life events
Psychomotor speed Baseline Z-scores from variables of the Timed Chase Test (CogState), Trail Making Test - Part A, and Digit Symbol Coding Test will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Psychomotor speed', with higher scores reflecting better performance.
Working memory Baseline Z-scores from variables of the Digit Span Test will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Working memory', with higher scores reflecting better performance.
Sustained attention Baseline Z-scores from variables of the Continuous Performance Test will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Sustained attention', with higher scores reflecting better performance.
Facial emotion processing Baseline Z-scores from variables of the Facial Expression Recognition Test and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Facial emotion processing', with higher scores reflecting better performance.
Post-traumatic growth Past 12 years Assessed with the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI)
Inflammation Baseline Blood levels of CRP
Executive function Baseline Z-scores from variables of the Trail Making Test - Part B and Category Fluency will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Executive function', with higher scores reflecting better performance.
Rumination Baseline Assessed with the Ruminative Responses Scale Minimum score = 25, maximum score = 100, higher scores reflect more severe rumination
Mental health diagnoses Baseline Assessed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI)
Sex hormones Baseline Blood levels of progesterone, LH, FSH, testosterone, SHBG (females only)
Metacognitive beliefs Baseline Assessed with the Metacognitions Questionnaire - 30-item version Minimum score = 30, maximum score = 120, higher scores reflect more problematic metacognitive beliefs Minimum score = 25, maximum score = 100, higher scores reflect more severe rumination
Psychosocial functioning Past 2 weeks Assessed with the Social Adjustment Scale Minimum score = 1, maximum score = 5, higher scores reflect worse psychosocial functioning
COVID-19 impact Past 3 years Assessed with the COVID Psychosocial Impacts Scale (CPIS) Minimum score = 0, maximum score = 135, higher scores reflect more severe impact of COVID
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch
🇳🇿Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand