INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 09 Program Schedule 02/16/2024 03:30 pm - 04:45 pm Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 09: Epilepsy \| Oncology \| MS \| Infectious Disease Final Abstract #86 Neuropsychological Test Findings 32 Years Post Neurotoxicant Exposures: The Fort Devens Cohort Leah Orlinsky, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, United States Maxine Krengel, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, United States Clara Zundel, Wayne State University, Detriot, United States Kathryn Price, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, United States Peter Rivoria, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, United States Kimberly Sullivan, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, United States Category: Drug/Toxin-Related Disorders (including Alcohol) Keyword 1: cognitive functioning Keyword 2: neurotoxicity Keyword 3: memory complaints Objective: Since their return from deployment in 1991, Gulf War (GW) veterans have been experiencing cognitive, neurologic, and physiological concerns. These symptoms have been linked to numerous neurotoxicant exposures experienced in theater. The Ft. Devens, Massachusetts Cohort (FDC) of GW veterans completed neuropsychological assessments in the late 1990s and were reexamined in the last few years. At the first time point, neuropsychological deficits in the domains of attention, executive function, memory and mood were found to be related to exposures, especially to chemical alarms and pesticides. The current study aims to examine associations between neurotoxicant exposure and neuropsychological outcomes within the FDC 32 years post war. Participants and Methods: A subset of the FDC (n=58) completed follow up surveys and neuropsychological tests between 2019-2022. Exposures include chemical alarms, SCUD missiles, anthrax vaccines, pyridostigmine bromide (PB) pills, oil well fire smoke, contact with destroyed enemy vehicles, contact with or delousing of prisoners of war, and pesticides. Neuropsychological assessment measures from a previously validated assessment of cognitive function in GW veterans were included to assess executive function, attention, memory, and mood. Assessment measures included the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS): Color Word Interference, California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) II, Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) – Visual Reproductions, Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), and Profile of Mood States (POMS). Multivariate logistic regression models with independent variables as yes/no for each exposure were utilized to investigate associations between exposures and neuropsychological outcomes. Results: This sample had an average age of 58.4, was 82.8% white, 69% male, and averaged “some college” as highest education level. Rates of exposure ranged from 5% to 52%. Measures of processing speed were significantly different with exposures to hearing chemical alarms, taking PB pills, being in contact with prisoners of war, and pesticide cream. Executive functioning was impaired with exposures to SCUD missiles, anthrax vaccine, taking PB pills, destroying enemy vehicles, being in contact with prisoners of war, wearing uniforms treated with pesticides and exposures to pesticide creams and sprays. Visual memory was significantly different in those with exposure to chemical alarms, PB pills, prisoners of war, smoke from oil well fires. Verbal memory was significantly different with exposure to SCUD missiles, anthrax vaccine, destroying enemy vehicles. Mood was associated with anthrax, destroying enemy vehicles and pesticide cream. Conclusions: These findings align with previous literature on the FDC in terms of exposures showing significant differences on tests of cognitive functioning. Cognitive impairment, therefore, continues to be of concern for veterans and civilians who have had these exposures. Although not directly analyzed, it appears that as a group these FDC veterans are showing more cognitive deficits 32 years post exposure than the last time point. It will be important to continue to follow this group and offer treatments to reduce the risk of further cognitive decline.

Poster

02/16/2024
03:30 pm - 04:45 pm
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 09: Epilepsy | Oncology | MS | Infectious Disease

Final Abstract #86

Neuropsychological Test Findings 32 Years Post Neurotoxicant Exposures: The Fort Devens Cohort

Leah Orlinsky, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, United States
Maxine Krengel, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, United States
Clara Zundel, Wayne State University, Detriot, United States
Kathryn Price, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, United States
Peter Rivoria, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, United States
Kimberly Sullivan, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, United States

Category: Drug/Toxin-Related Disorders (including Alcohol)

Keyword 1: cognitive functioning
Keyword 2: neurotoxicity
Keyword 3: memory complaints

Objective:

Since their return from deployment in 1991, Gulf War (GW) veterans have been experiencing cognitive, neurologic, and physiological concerns. These symptoms have been linked to numerous neurotoxicant exposures experienced in theater. The Ft. Devens, Massachusetts Cohort (FDC) of GW veterans completed neuropsychological assessments in the late 1990s and were reexamined in the last few years. At the first time point, neuropsychological deficits in the domains of attention, executive function, memory and mood were found to be related to exposures, especially to chemical alarms and pesticides. The current study aims to examine associations between neurotoxicant exposure and neuropsychological outcomes within the FDC 32 years post war.

Participants and Methods:

A subset of the FDC (n=58) completed follow up surveys and neuropsychological tests between 2019-2022. Exposures include chemical alarms, SCUD missiles, anthrax vaccines, pyridostigmine bromide (PB) pills, oil well fire smoke, contact with destroyed enemy vehicles, contact with or delousing of prisoners of war, and pesticides. Neuropsychological assessment measures from a previously validated assessment of cognitive function in GW veterans were included to assess executive function, attention, memory, and mood. Assessment measures included the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS): Color Word Interference, California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) II, Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) – Visual Reproductions, Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), and Profile of Mood States (POMS). Multivariate logistic regression models with independent variables as yes/no for each exposure were utilized to investigate associations between exposures and neuropsychological outcomes.

Results:

This sample had an average age of 58.4, was 82.8% white, 69% male, and averaged “some college” as highest education level. Rates of exposure ranged from 5% to 52%. Measures of processing speed were significantly different with exposures to hearing chemical alarms, taking PB pills, being in contact with prisoners of war, and pesticide cream. Executive functioning was impaired with exposures to SCUD missiles, anthrax vaccine, taking PB pills, destroying enemy vehicles, being in contact with prisoners of war, wearing uniforms treated with pesticides and exposures to pesticide creams and sprays. Visual memory was significantly different in those with exposure to chemical alarms, PB pills, prisoners of war, smoke from oil well fires. Verbal memory was significantly different with exposure to SCUD missiles, anthrax vaccine, destroying enemy vehicles. Mood was associated with anthrax, destroying enemy vehicles and pesticide cream.

Conclusions:

These findings align with previous literature on the FDC in terms of exposures showing significant differences on tests of cognitive functioning. Cognitive impairment, therefore, continues to be of concern for veterans and civilians who have had these exposures. Although not directly analyzed, it appears that as a group these FDC veterans are showing more cognitive deficits 32 years post exposure than the last time point. It will be important to continue to follow this group and offer treatments to reduce the risk of further cognitive decline.