Cognitive Performance in Long‐Term Abstinent Elderly Alcoholics

Abstract

Our data showed that elderly alcoholics that drank late into life, but with at least 6 months abstinence can exhibit normal cognitive functioning. Selective survivorship and selection bias probably play a part in these findings. Cognitively healthier alcoholics, with more brain reserve capacity, may be more likely to live into their 60s, 70s, or 80s of age with relatively intact cognition, and to volunteer for studies such as this. Our results do not imply that all elderly alcoholics with long-term abstinence will attain normal cognition.

Delta and theta oscillations as risk markers in adolescent offspring of alcoholics

“…Therefore individuals with suppressed delta and theta responses are likely to show deficits in cognitive functions that are mediated by these oscillatory processes. There is ample neuropsychological evidence that supports this view, by demonstrating a wide range of cognitive deficits in the domain of executive functions (including attention, working memory, encoding and retrieval processes) in alcoholics and high risk individuals (Fein et al, 1990;Moselhy et al, 2001;Nixon and Tivis, 1997;Ratti et al, 2002).…”

Improvement in memory and static balance with abstinence in alcoholic men and women: Selective relations with change in brain structure

“…Chronic excessive alcohol use can impair a range of cognitive and motor functions (Tarter and Ryan, 1983;Parsons, 1987b;Fein et al, 1990;Nixon, 1993;Sullivan et al, 2000d), but recovery of some of these functions can occur with sobriety (Brandt et al, 1983;Parsons, 1987a;Lishman, 1990;Bates et al, 2005,Rourke, 1999. Cognitive functions most likely to recover, patient characteristics most likely to predict recovery, and time course for such recovery have important implications for treatment (Goldman, 1995;Nixon et al, 1998;Bates et al, 2002).…”

“…When memory tasks require active strategies for encoding, semantic organization, and retrieval of learned material, they probably draw on frontal executive systems (e.g., Incisa della Rocchetta and Milner, 1993;Fletcher et al, 1998;Savage et al, 2001) and medial temporal systems required for formation of new memories (for review see, Gabrieli, 1998). Deficits in such strategic memory tasks can occur with chronic alcoholism (Brandt et al, 1983;Rourke and Grant, 1999;Munro et al, 2000;Sullivan et al, 2000d;Sullivan et al, 2002;Fama et al, 2004); (for reviews see, Parsons, 1987b;Riege, 1987;Oscar-Berman and Marinkovic, 2003) but can also recover with abstinence (Parsons, 1987a;Fein et al, 1990;Fein et al, 2006). Memory tasks that do not require strategic search through encoded material but instead rely on selection of a correct item from a given set, such as word recognition, are typically spared in uncomplicated alcoholism (Salmon et al, 1986;Oscar-Berman and Pulaski, 1997;Sullivan et al, 1997;Sullivan et al, 2000d).…”

Development and Resolution of Brain Lesions Caused by Pyrithiamine- and Dietary-Induced Thiamine Deficiency and Alcohol Exposure in the Alcohol-Preferring Rat: A Longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Study

“…The effects of thiamine deficiency on brain morphology have been well documented in patients with chronic alcoholism, which itself produces widespread shrinkage of brain tissue (Cardenas et al, 2005;Fein et al, 2002;Jernigan et al, 1991;Pfefferbaum et al, 1992) and attendant deficits in motor and cognitive function that can persist even after months of abstinence along with adequate nutrition (eg, Eckardt et al, 1998;Fein et al, 1990;Parsons, 1993;Sullivan et al, 2000c). Although alcohol-related brain abnormalities are partially reversible with prolonged sobriety (Carlen et al, 1978;Gazdzinski et al, 2005;Mann et al, 1999;O'Neill et al, 2001;Parks et al, 2002;Pfefferbaum et al, 1995Pfefferbaum et al, , 1998Schroth et al, 1988), cortical gray and white matter may sustain long-term volume shrinkage and even loss (Jernigan et al, 1991;Pfefferbaum et al, 1992), especially in the prefrontal cortex (De Bellis et al, 2005) of older alcoholics (Cardenas et al, 2005;Pfefferbaum et al, 1997).…”