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Cited by 187Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchStress Responses and CortisolOccupational Health and Performance

Stress-induced deficits in working memory and visuo-constructive abilities in special operations soldiers

Morgan, Charles A., Doran, Anthony, Steffian, George, Hazlett, Gary, Southwick, Steven M.·2006·Biological Psychiatry
DOI 10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.04.021
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Abstract

Background Pre-clinical and clinical studies have shown acute stress may impair working memory and visuo-spatial ability. This study was designed to clarify the nature of stress-induced cognitive deficits in soldiers and how such deficits may contribute to operational or battlefield errors. Methods One hundred eighty-four Special Operations warfighters enrolled in Survival School completed pre-stress measures of dissociation and trauma exposure. Subjects were randomized to one of three assessment groups (Pre-stress, Stress, Post-stress) and were administered the Rey Ostereith Complex Figure (ROCF). All subjects completed post-stress measures of dissociation. Results ROCF copy and recall were normal in the Pre- and Post-stress groups. ROCF copy and recall were significantly impaired in the Stress Group. Stress group ROCF copy performance was piecemeal, and ROCF recall was impaired. Symptoms of dissociation were negatively associated with ROCF recall in the Stress group. Baseline dissociation and history of traumatic stress predicted cognitive impairment during stress. Conclusions Stress exposure impaired visuo-spatial capacity and working memory. In rats, monkeys, and humans, high dopamine and NE turnover in the PFC induce deficits in cognition and spatial working memory. Improved understanding of stress-induced cognitive deficits may assist in identification of soldiers at risk and lead to the development of better countermeasures.

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  • Dissociative symptoms have been linked to reduced attention, executive functioning, and memory performance in healthy individuals, trauma-exposed individuals from general and military populations, and in military and civilian psychiatric samples, including individuals with PTSD, BPD, MDD, DID, and DPD.

    “Specifically, dissociative symptoms have been linked to reduced attention, executive functioning, and memory performance in healthy individuals (Amrhein et al., 2008;Bergouignan et al., 2014;Brewin et al., 2013;Bruce et al., 2007;Freyd et al., 1998;Olsen and Beck, 2012), trauma-exposed individuals from general (Cromer et al., 2006) and military populations (Morgan et al., 2006), and in military”

    From A review of the relation between dissociation, memory, executive functioning and social cognition in military members and civilians with neuropsychiatric conditions (2016) · cites this paper as Morgan et al., 2006

  • Among active military personnel who completed a visual memory task under stressful conditions after a mock interrogation in a mock prisoner of war camp, baseline state dissociation, state dissociation induced during a stressful task, and history of traumatic stress predicted reduced performance on the visual memory task.

    “recent work among active military personnel who were asked to complete a visual memory task under stressful conditions (i.e., after a mock interrogation in a mock prisoner of war camp) demonstrated that baseline state dissociation, state dissociation induced during a stressful task, and history of traumatic stress predicted reduced performance on the visual memory task (Morgan et al., 2006).”

    From A review of the relation between dissociation, memory, executive functioning and social cognition in military members and civilians with neuropsychiatric conditions (2016) · cites this paper as Morgan et al., 2006

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Authors
Morgan, C. A., Doran, A., Steffian, G., Hazlett, G., & Southwick, S. M.
Affiliations
  • Yale University (US)
  • United States Navy (US)
Corresponding author
Morgan, Charles A.
ORCID
Southwick, Steven M.
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2006-10
Volume
60
Issue
7
Pages
722-729
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.04.021
OpenAlex
W2039734777
Cited by
187
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 6
FWCI
6.27
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Health and Performance
Keywords
acute stress, working memory, visuospatial ability, dissociation, traumatic stress, combat stress, prefrontal cortex, dopamine, norepinephrine, cognitive impairment
MeSH terms
Adult, Cognition, Dissociative Disorders, Female, Form Perception, Humans, Male, Memory Disorders, Memory, Short-Term, Military Personnel, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Space Perception, Stress, Psychological

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