Neuropsychology of PTSD : Biological, Cognitive, and Clinical Perspectives

Comprehensively examining the effects of psychological trauma on the brain, this volume integrates neurobiological, clinical, and cognitive aspects of PTSD. Presented is groundbreaking research on the emergence of neuropsychological dysfunctions in specific trauma populations: children, adults, older adults, and victims of closed head injury. Coverage encompasses a range of chronic problems with memory, attention, and information processing that are related to trauma exposure. Linking neuropsychological findings to the realities of clinical practice, the concluding section addresses key implications for PTSD assessment and for pharmacological and psychological treatment. "The emotional and behavioral symptoms associated with PTSD have been widely studied, but until recently, much less was known about neuropsychological aspects of the disorder. This volume brings together leading experts to synthesize current knowledge on how trauma affects the brain. Integrating compelling insights from neurobiology with clinical and cognitive perspectives, the book presents cutting-edge theoretical advances with major implications for assessment and treatment." "Clearly written and well documented, the volume explores the emergence of neuropsychological dysfunction in specific trauma populations: children, adults, older adults, and victims of closed-head injury. Coverage encompasses a range of chronic problems with memory, attention, and information processing, including biases in the ways that PTSD sufferers attend to and remember emotionally relevant information, as well as how they encode and retrieve trauma-related memories." "Throughout, authors back up their arguments with salient empirical research, highlighting key findings from functional neuroimaging and electrophysiology. Methodological dilemmas and controversies are also addressed, such as the challenges of studying a disorder with frequent psychiatric and medical comorbidities." "Timely and authoritative, this comprehensive work provides vital knowledge for trauma specialists and other researchers and clinicians, including neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, and psychiatrists. It will also be of interest to advanced students in these areas."--Jacket Preliminaries......Page 1 Index......Page 0 CHAPTER 4 Electrophysiology of PTSD......Page 97 CHAPTER 5 Information-Processing Biases in PTSD......Page 119 CHAPTER 7 Early Trauma Exposure and the Brain......Page 167 CHAPTER 12 Implications for Psychological Intervention......Page 285 CHAPTER 13 Pharmacological Approaches to Cognitive Deficits......Page 306 Synthesizing the breadth of knowledge on the effects of psychological trauma on the brain, this volume integrates neurobiological, clinical, and cognitive aspects of PTSD. It covers a range of chronic problems with memory, attention, and information processing that are related to trauma exposure. Knowledge of the prevalence, clinical features, comorbidities, and natural history of any disorder is invaluable to clinicians in making informed judgments.