OBJECTIVES In older adults, PTSD is associated with decreased verbal learning and executive dysfunction. Therefore, feasibility of EMDR-treatment to improve cognitive performance in older adults with PTSD was examined. Additionally, we investigated pre-treatment correlation with often co-occurring risk factors for cognitive decline (sleep problems, depressive disorder, physical inactivity, childhood traumatic events). DESIGN Multicenter design with pre-post measurements. SETTING Psychiatric Dutch hospitals Mondriaan Mental Health Center and Altrecht. PARTICIPANTS 22 treatment-seeking PTSD-outpatients (60-84 years). INTERVENTION Weekly one-hour EMDR session during 3, 6, or 9 months. MEASUREMENTS PTSD was assessed with Clinician-Administered PTSD-scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5). Verbal learning memory was measured with Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), interference with Stroop Colour-Word Test (SCWT) and working memory with Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Digit Span (WAIS-IV-DS). RESULTS A Linear mixed-model showed significant improvement on RAVLT immediate-recall (F (1, 21) = 15.928, P = .001, 95% CI -6.98-2.20), delayed-recall (F (1, 21) = 7.095, P = .015, 95% CI -2.43-.30), recognition (F (21) = 8.885, P = .007, 95% CI -1.70- -.30), and SCWT (F (1 ,21) = 5.504, P = .029, 95% CI 4.38-72.78) but not on WAIS-IV-DS (F (20) = -1.237, P = .230, 95% CI -3.07-.78). There was no significant influence of therapy duration and CAPS-5 pre-treatment scores. There were small-medium nonsignificant correlations between CAPS-5 and cognitive performance pre-post differences, and between most cognitive measures and sleep problems, depressive disorder, and physical inactivity. CONCLUSIONS Cognitive functioning on memory and attention possible increased in older adults with PTSD after EMDR treatment. Further research is needed with a larger sample and a control condition to corroborate these findings and to identify the possible mediating role of modifiable risk factors.

中文翻译：

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首次探索：眼动脱敏和再加工能否改善患有创伤后应激障碍的老年人的认知？

目标 在老年人中，创伤后应激障碍与言语学习能力下降和执行功能障碍有关。因此，研究了 EMDR 治疗改善患有 PTSD 的老年人认知能力的可行性。此外，我们还调查了治疗前与认知能力下降的常见风险因素（睡眠问题、抑郁症、缺乏身体活动、儿童创伤事件）的相关性。设计 具有前后测量的多中心设计。设置 荷兰精神病医院蒙德里安精神健康中心和阿尔特雷赫特。参与者 22 名寻求治疗的 PTSD 门诊患者（60-84 岁）。干预 在 3、6 或 9 个月内每周进行一小时的 EMDR 会议。测量 PTSD 采用临床医生管理的 DSM-5 PTSD 量表 (CAPS-5) 进行评估。言语学习记忆通过听觉言语学习测试（RAVLT）、斯特鲁普色词干扰测试（SCWT）和韦克斯勒成人智力量表数字跨度（WAIS-IV-DS）测量工作记忆。结果 线性混合模型显示 RAVLT 立即回忆 (F (1, 21) = 15.928，P = .001，95% CI -6.98-2.20)、延迟回忆 (F (1, 21) = 7.095 ，P = .015，95% CI -2.43-.30)，识别 (F (21) = 8.885，P = .007，95% CI -1.70- -.30) 和 SCWT (F (1 ,21) = 5.504，P = .029，95% CI 4.38-72.78），但不在 WAIS-IV-DS 上（F (20) = -1.237，P = .230，95% CI -3.07-.78）。治疗持续时间和 CAPS-5 治疗前评分没有显着影响。CAPS-5 与认知表现前后差异之间，以及大多数认知测量与睡眠问题、抑郁症和缺乏身体活动之间存在小到中等的非显着相关性。结论 患有 PTSD 的老年人在 EMDR 治疗后，记忆和注意力方面的认知功能可能有所提高。需要进行更大的样本和控制条件的进一步研究，以证实这些发现并确定可改变的风险因素可能的中介作用。