Cognitive Function among World Trade Center-Exposed Community Members with Mental Health Symptoms

Rebecca Rosen, Yongzhao Shao, Qiao Zhang, Jia Bao, Yian Zhang, Arjun Masurkar, Thomas Wisniewski, Nina Urban and Joan Reibman
Additional contact information
Rebecca Rosen: Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
Yongzhao Shao: World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC Health+Hospitals, New York, NY 10016, USA
Qiao Zhang: World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC Health+Hospitals, New York, NY 10016, USA
Jia Bao: World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC Health+Hospitals, New York, NY 10016, USA
Yian Zhang: World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC Health+Hospitals, New York, NY 10016, USA
Arjun Masurkar: NYU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
Thomas Wisniewski: NYU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
Nina Urban: Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
Joan Reibman: World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC Health+Hospitals, New York, NY 10016, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 6, 1-13

Abstract: The World Trade Center Environmental Health Center (WTC EHC), is a federally designated clinical center of excellence for surveillance and treatment of WTC disaster exposed community members (WTC Survivors). Cognitive impairment (CI) has been extensively described in WTC responders and a concern for progressive impairment in all WTC disaster exposed groups has been raised. Cognitive status, however, has not been systematically characterized in the WTC Survivor population. We describe cognitive status in a subgroup of the Survivor population referred for mental health evaluation (N = 480) in the WTC EHC as measured by scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) instrument, and examine their association with WTC exposures and individual-level covariates including PTSD and depression screening inventory scores. In regression analyses, probable cognitive impairment (MoCA score < 26) was found in 59% of the study subjects and was significantly associated with age, race/ethnicity, education, income, depression and PTSD scores. Being caught in the dust cloud on 11 September 2011 was significantly associated with cognitive impairment even after controlling for the above. These data suggest an association with cognitive dysfunction in WTC Survivors with exposure to the toxic dust/fumes and psychological stress from the 9/11 terrorist attack and warrant further systematic study.

Keywords: World Trade Center; cognitive impairment; trauma; PTSD; toxin exposure; MoCA; cognition; MCI (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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