The effects of trauma exposure on neurophysiological, cognitive, and psychological function in active duty police officers

The applicant proposes a 3-year study involving 210 police officers who have a range of PTSD symptoms, and 55 non-trauma-exposed civilian controls (age range of25 to 45 years) to examine the impact of PTSD on officer decision-making. Study group participants will represent the distribution of gender and race/ethnicity of the Buffalo Police Department. Police officers will be selected from officers who participated in the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress study (n=400). The 55 non-trauma-exposed civilian controls will provide baseline measures of normal functioning, not influenced by confounding factors such as police training. The study will be performed in laboratories at the University at Buffalo. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) will be derived from 256 channels of scalp-recorded electroencephalography (EEG) while participants perform cognitive tasks that require continuous attention, target detection (Go), and inhibition of responses (No-go).

Note: “This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law," and complies with Part 200 Uniform Requirements - 2 CFR 200.210(a)(14). CA/NCF