Delayed onset of posttraumatic stress disorder among male combat veterans

Abstract

Objective: Authors investigated the nature of delayed-onset posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among combat veterans. Methods: PTSD, along with cognitive and emotional functioning, was assessed in a case series of elderly Australian war veterans. Results: Fifteen elderly male subjects consecutively referred to an outpatient psychiatric clinic were identified as having PTSD with significantly delayed onset. In most cases, the onset of PTSD symptoms was associated with unrelated medical complaints, psychosocial stress, and/or mild cognitive impairment. Conclusion: Environmental stressors, coupled with age-related neurodegeneration, may potentially contribute to the late-life recrudescence or emergence of PTSD symptoms in veterans exposed to combat-related trauma.