Papousek Ilona, Weiss Elisabeth M, Moertl Manfred G, Schmid-Zalaudek Karin, Krenn Edina, Lessiak Verena, Lackner Helmut K
Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Clinical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Behav Sci (Basel). 2021 Apr 18;11(4):55. doi: 10.3390/bs11040055.
Several studies reported impaired cognitive functioning after pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia. The present study examined cognitive and executive functioning in women with preeclampsia at a time at which immediate effects of gestation have resolved, brain damage due to other risk factors have not yet manifested, and impairments may thus primarily occur as a result of the huge stress induced by the potentially life threatening condition. Verbal learning/memory (California Verbal Learning Test) and inhibitory functioning (Mittenecker Pointing Test) of 35 women with preeclampsia and 38 women with uncomplicated pregnancy were followed over five measurement time points during the period from 16 to 48 weeks postpartum. A further control group comprised 40 women with no history of recent pregnancy. The groups did not differ in their verbal learning/memory performance. Higher levels of currently experienced everyday-life stress were associated with poorer inhibitory control/greater stereotypy in responding, but this effect was not directly connected with pregnancy complications. Taken together, the findings do not indicate rapid-onset cognitive impairment after preeclampsia, brought about by its extremely stressful nature or other factors that take effect during gestation. Deficits observed in later life may develop on a long-term basis through late-diagnosed hypertension and unfavorable lifestyle factors. The large time window in which exaggerated cognitive decline can be prevented or mitigated should be utilized for the control of risk factors and interventions to improve lifestyle where appropriate.
多项研究报告称，妊娠合并子痫前期后认知功能受损。本研究在妊娠的直接影响已消除、其他风险因素导致的脑损伤尚未显现、且损伤可能主要是由这种潜在危及生命的状况所引发的巨大压力导致的这个时间段，对患有子痫前期的女性的认知和执行功能进行了检查。在产后16至48周期间的五个测量时间点，对35名患有子痫前期的女性和38名妊娠未并发疾病的女性的言语学习/记忆（加利福尼亚言语学习测验）和抑制功能（米特内克指向测验）进行了跟踪。另一个对照组由40名近期无妊娠史的女性组成。这些组在言语学习/记忆表现上没有差异。当前经历的较高水平的日常生活压力与较差的抑制控制/反应中更大的刻板性相关，但这种影响与妊娠并发症没有直接关联。综上所述，研究结果并未表明子痫前期后因极度紧张的性质或妊娠期间起作用的其他因素而导致快速发作的认知障碍。在晚年观察到的缺陷可能会通过晚期诊断的高血压和不良生活方式因素长期发展而来。应利用这个可预防或减轻认知功能过度下降的较大时间窗口来控制风险因素，并在适当的时候进行改善生活方式的干预。
