History of Childhood Physical Trauma Has a Negative Impact On Cognitive Functioning in Individuals at Ultra High Risk for Psychosis

In our previous studies we reported that there were more childhood trauma (CT, 1) and cognitive deficits (2) in UHR group. The aim of this study is to measure the relationship between CT and cognitive functioning in UHR group. Sixty-four individuals at UHR for psychosis were applied a neurocgnitive battery assessing attention, processing speed, verbal learning and memory, working memory, interference inhibition and sustained attention. CT was assessed by short version of Childhood Trauma Questionnary (CTQ). We dychotomized the sample by using cut off scores for the existence of emotional, physical, sexual taruma, physical and emotional neglect. Those with history of physical trauma had worse performance on Digit Span-forward, Trail making B (time), Stroop test-difference between colour and word reading times, WCST-completed categories. Physical trauma scores were negatively correlated with WCST-completed categories, and physical neglect scores were negatively correlated with Digit span test-forward. Our findings suggest that history of physical trauma has a negative impact on cognitive functioning in individuals at UHR for psychosis. 1. Sahin S, Yuksel C, Guler J, Karadayi G, Akturan E, Gode E, Ozhan AA, Ucok A. The history of childhood trauma among individuals with ultra high risk for psychosis is as common as among patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Early Interv Psychiatry. 2013; 7:414-20. 2. Ucok A, Direk N, Koyuncu A, Keskin-Ergen Y, Yuksel C, Guler J, Karadayi G, Akturan E, Devrim-Ucok M. Cognitive deficits in clinical and familial high risk groups for psychosis are common as in first episode schizophrenia. Schizophr Res. 2013; 151:265-9