Association of childhood trauma with cognitive domains in adult patients with mental disorders and in non-clinical populations: a systematic review

Associations between adverse childhood experiences and subjective cognitive decline: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Long-term health effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) include cognitive decline that occurs later in life. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD), recognized as an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease, may present an essential period for intervention in populations with ACEs.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to explore the associations between ACEs and SCD, while examining the potential moderating effects of sociodemographic factors METHODS: A systematic search of four databases (Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science) was conducted from inception to July 2024. Eligible studies included adults with a history of ACEs and self-reported SCD. In total, twelve studies were included, primarily using U.S.-based samples, with sample sizes ranging from 46 to over 195,000 participants.

RESULTS

The evidence of a dose-response relationship highlights the link between ACEs and SCD. The risk of SCD increases among adults over 65, lower-income groups, and sexual minorities. However, gender differences were inconsistently observed across studies. Mental health conditions, particularly depression is a significant risk factor.

CONCLUSIONS

Early screening and intervention for SCD among individuals with high ACE exposure may help delay the progression to severe cognitive impairment. However, the reliance on cross-sectional studies and high risk of bias limit causal inferences. Future research should explore longitudinal studies with diverse populations to clarify causal pathways and the role of sociodemographic factors in the ACE-SCD relationship.

Mediation Effects of Sleep Efficiency and Total Sleep Time of PSG and Apathy in Cognitively Unimpaired Older Adults With Childhood Trauma: A Community-Based Study

BACKGROUND

Childhood trauma is linked to sleep quality and mental health in adults. However, there is limited research exploring their connections in older adults. We aimed to investigate whether childhood trauma leads to a higher occurrence of adverse sleep patterns and mental problems and whether sleep mediates these effects.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included participants aged ≧ 60 in Taiwan from September 2019 to October 2020. Individuals with dementia, major depressive disorder, or significant organ system abnormalities were excluded. Sleep patterns were evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and polysomnography. The participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and underwent comprehensive assessments of apathy, cognitive function and mood symptoms.

RESULTS

In the study of 89 participants (average age 73.35 years; 56.1% women), higher CTQ scores correlated with longer sleep latency, reduced sleep efficiency as measured by polysomnography. It was also associated with increased severity of apathy, aberrant cognitive function and mood symptoms, even after adjusting for age and gender. Moreover, sleep efficiency mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and apathy, while apathy fully mediated the link between childhood trauma and both sleep efficiency and total sleep time.

CONCLUSIONS

These novel findings showed that sleep efficiency mediated the effect of childhood trauma on apathy in older adults, and apathy fully mediates childhood trauma on sleep efficiency and total sleep time bidirectionally. Furthermore, our results revealed an association between childhood trauma and apathy, cognitive function and mood symptoms, emphasizing the importance of sleep quality by addressing apathy in older adults who had experienced childhood trauma.

Associations between childhood maltreatment and personality traits in individuals with and without depression: a CTQ-based assessment

BACKGROUND

Prior research has established a correlation between childhood maltreatment (CM) and personality traits. The current understanding regarding the potential variability in the relationship between CM and its impact on personality dimensions among those with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls (HCs) remains elusive.

AIMS

This study analyzes the association between CM and personality traits in the MDD and HC groups.

METHODS

The study recruited 188 individuals with MDD and 132 HC. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) was used to assess CM, and the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) was used to assess personality traits. We used a 2*2 analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of the diagnosis and CM on 16PF, and hierarchical regression explored the association between specific types of CM and 16PF in both groups.

RESULTS

The 2*2 ANCOVA results indicated significant interaction effects between CM and diagnosis on personality traits, with CM's impact notably different between groups. In the MDD group, sexual abuse (SA) independently predicted the subscale Q1 (Openness to Change), related to the Big Five's openness. In the HC group, emotional abuse (EA) predicted the subscales C (emotional stability), O (apprehension), and Q4(tension), linked to Big Five's neuroticism.

CONCLUSION

The findings highlight the impact of early adversity on personality development, informing psychology and guiding tailored therapy development.

Differential association between childhood trauma subtypes and neurocognitive performance in adults with major depression

BACKGROUND

Neurocognitive impairment is one of the prominent manifestations of major depressive disorder (MDD). Childhood trauma enhances vulnerability to developing MDD and contributes to neurocognitive dysfunctions. However, the distinct impacts of different types of childhood trauma on neurocognitive processes in MDD remain unclear.

METHODS

This study comprised 186 individuals diagnosed with MDD and 268 healthy controls. Childhood trauma was evaluated using the 28-item Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form. Neurocognitive abilities, encompassing sustained attention, vigilance, visual memory, and executive functioning, were measured by the Cambridge Neuropsychological Testing Automated Battery.

RESULTS

Multivariable linear regressions revealed that childhood trauma and MDD diagnosis were independently associated with neurocognitive impairment. Physical neglect was associated with impaired visual memory and working memory. MDD diagnosis is associated with working memory and planning. Interactive analysis revealed that physical/sexual abuse was associated with a high level of vigilance and that emotional neglect was linked with better performance on cognitive flexibility in MDD patients. Furthermore, childhood emotional abuse, physical abuse, and emotional neglect were revealed to be risk factors for developing early-onset, chronic depressive episodes.

CONCLUSION

Thus, specific associations between various childhood traumas and cognitive development in depression are complex phenomena that need further study.

Cluster analysis exploring the impact of childhood neglect on cognitive function in patients with bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe mental disorder related to neurocognitive deficits. Exposure to childhood trauma is associated with worse cognitive performance. Different compositions of childhood trauma in BD and their impacts on cognition are rarely reported.

METHODS

We used the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Affective Disorders (BAC-A) to assess cognitive performance and the Chinese version of the Short Form of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (C-CTQ-SF) to assess childhood trauma experience among 55 euthymic BD patients. Cluster analysis was applied to dissect their childhood trauma experiences, which revealed three distinct clusters: a low trauma group, neglect-focus group, and multiple-trauma-experience group. We compared the cognitive function between the three clusters and used a generalized linear model to evaluate the impact of childhood neglect on cognitive domains.

RESULTS

The neglect-focus cluster showed prominent exposures to physical and emotional neglect (41.8%). BD patients in this cluster performed worse in BAC-A compared with patients in the multiple trauma cluster, especially in working memory and processing speed. The neglect-focus group revealed a significant negative effect on the composite score (ß = -0.904, p = 0.025) and working memory (ß = -1.150, p = 0.002) after adjusting sex, age, education year, BMI and total psychotropic defined daily dose.

CONCLUSIONS

Distinct patterns of childhood trauma experience are seen in BD patients and are related with different cognitive profiles. Early exposure of neglect-focus trauma was associated with the worst cognitive performance in current study. Further studies investigating the intensity of the neglect, as well as individual resilience and coping mechanisms in BD, are warranted.

Exploring stress response's role in executive function impairments among adults with early adverse childhood experiences

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are recognised as precursors to numerous physical and mental health challenges. However, research on their impact on inhibitory control and working memory, particularly among healthy young adults, remains limited. The role played by the stress response as a moderator in these effects is likewise underexplored. Our study addresses this gap by examining cognitive impairments in non-clinical adults with early childhood trauma, specifically trauma before the age of 13 years, and by assessing the influence of the stress response on these effects. A total of 15 participants with early ACEs were compared with a control group (n = 18) using the Corsi Block Tapping Test (CBTT) and Stroop Word Colour Test (SCWT). Results showed that participants with early ACEs exhibited lower scores on the SCWT but not the CBTT. The stress response emerged as a potential factor in the relationship between early ACEs and cognitive performance. The implications of these findings are then discussed in relation to the existing literature.