Memory of the Traumatic Event is Associated With Increased Risk for PTSD: A Retrospective Study of Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

ABSTRACT Studies of the relationship between explicit episodic memory of a traumatic event (MTE) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are inconclusive. The authors examined whether memory for the details of the traumatic event as reported by patients with mild traumatic brain injury was associated with the development of PTSD. In a retrospective study of 120 participants, MTE was found to be associated with an increased risk of PTSD, particularly for the reexperiencing symptom cluster. Although less frequently, PTSD was nonetheless present even in the absence of explicit memory. Possible explanations for mechanisms that enable this phenomenon are considered.