Does incident multimorbidity mediate the relationship between lifetime trauma and trajectories of cognitive function in later life?
Mallory J Bell, Wencheng Zhang, Kenneth F FerraroAbstract
Background and Objectives
Prior research has examined the relationship between traumatic experiences and cognitive function in adulthood. We build on this literature by using a life course perspective to ask whether incident multimorbidity mediates the relationship between lifetime trauma and trajectories of cognitive function.
Research Design and Methods
We use latent growth curve models and data from the 2010-2020 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 16,662) to examine the relationship between lifetime trauma, incident multimorbidity, and the intercept and slope of cognitive function.
Results
Results indicate that trauma is associated with a higher intercept of cognitive function and greater cognitive decline. Lifetime trauma is also associated with higher risk of incident multimorbidity, which, in turn, is associated with a lower intercept of cognitive function.
Discussion and Implications
Incident multimorbidity has an upstream influence on poor cognitive function among people exposed to trauma. Interventions may be needed for people exposed to trauma over the life course to reduce the risk of disease and cognitive decline in later life.