Behavioral Dysfunction and Cognitive Efficiency in Male and Female Alcoholics

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the role of childhood behavioral disorders (CBDs) and residual attention deficit disorder (ADDRT) in alcohol-related cognitive dysfunction in male and female subjects. Alcoholic (n = 44 females, 56 males) and control (n = 40 females, 40 males) subjects completed assessments that included measures of CBDs, ADDRT, and cognitive and psychosocial functioning. Cognitive tests were specifically designed to assess efficiency in function. As expected, alcoholics were inferior to controls in their cognitive efficiency [F(1,171) = 10.43, p = 0.0015]. Alcoholics reported more CBDs [F(1,161) = 12.02, p = 0.0007], regardless of sex. They also reported more ADDRT [F(1,173) = 44.12, p = 0.0001] than did controls. There were also sex [F(1,173) = 13.31, p = 0.0004] and group by sex effects [F(1,173) = 3.93, p = 0.05]. Female alcoholics reported more ADDRT symptoms than any other group. Regression equations conducted to clarify the relation between group, sex, CBDs, ADDRT, and cognitive efficiency indicated that the best predictor of cognitive efficiency was group classification (alcoholic versus control). That is, although symptoms of behavioral disorders were reported significantly more frequently by both male and female alcoholic subjects, these symptoms could not account for the cognitive impairment observed in either sex.

Smoking is associated with neurocognitive deficits in alcoholism☆

“…Lifetime alcohol problem severity (as measured by LAPS), was significantly correlated with poorer neurocognitive function, consistent with previous research (Brewer and Perrett, 1971;Butters et al, 1977;Glenn and Parsons, 1992;Knight and Longmore, 1994;Nixon et al, 1995;Parsons and Leber, 1981). However, an important portion of this association, as measured by proficiency, was mediated by concurrent lifetime smoking history.…”

“…, which refers to an index combining speed and accuracy, has been a more sensitive measure of neurocognitive function in alcoholism than accuracy alone (Glenn and Parsons, 1992;Nixon et al, 1995Nixon et al, , 1998, and information processing proficiency impairments are reported for smokers as we noted earlier. To assess cognitive proficiency, we administered the short form of the MicroCog battery (Powell et al, 1994).…”

“…These include difficulties with visual-spatial processing, problem solving, memory, and cognitive proficiency (Ahveninen et al, 2000;Nixon et al, 1995Nixon et al, , 1998. Thus it is well established that chronic alcoholism is associated with neurocognitive deficits.…”

Disruption of Brain White Matter Microstructure by Excessive Intracellular and Extracellular Fluid in Alcoholism: Evidence from Diffusion Tensor Imaging

“…Thus, rather than a 'complete' lesion resulting in focal disconnection syndromes, alcoholism appears to be characterized by 'incomplete' lesions, in the form of degradation of cell microstructure, that are likely contributors to the mild, yet consistently observed, cognitive and motor deficits in alcoholism (for reviews, see Fein et al, 1990;Nixon, 1993;Oscar-Berman, 2000;Sullivan, 2000). In particular, alcoholism-related disruption of white matter fibers of the genu may contribute to frontal lobe pathology reported in vivo and postmortem and to neuropsychological deficits of executive functions, including processing inefficiency (De Rosa et al, 2004;Nixon et al, 1995) and problem solving (Moselhy et al, 2001;Oscar-Berman, 2000;Sullivan, 2000), typical of chronic alcoholism. Further, disruption of callosal and centrum fiber tracts may serve to limit the flexibility in pathways recruited to execute complex cognitive and motor tasks requiring the coordination of widely distributed networks.…”

Effects of an EEG Biofeedback Protocol on a Mixed Substance Abusing Population

“…For example, in one study, approximately 35% of treatment-seeking cocaine abusers met the DSM-IV criteria for childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (19). Also, adult alcoholics report more residual-type attention deficit disorder (ADD) than controls (20). Low cognitive ability also has been shown to predict relapse after treatment at an alcohol treatment facility (21).…”