Executive Functioning Early in Abstinence From Alcohol

Abstract

Background: Executive dysfunction is among the cognitive impairments that may persist after abstinence in alcohol-dependent persons. The type(s) and extent of executive dysfunction early in abstinence have not been well characterized, but they may have important implications for the evolution of behavioral treatment strategies.Methods: To determine which aspects of executive functioning were impaired in early abstinence, we administered memory and executive function tests to veterans who successively presented for treatment at an outpatient substance abuse clinic. We then compared the neuropsychological performance of these recovering alcoholics (n ϭ 27) with that of age-matched primary care outpatients (n ϭ 18). We also examined group differences in self-evaluation of cognitive decline and evaluated associations between drinking history and cognitive impairment in the index group.Results: We found that the normal and alcohol-dependent groups differed on abstract reasoning, memory discrimination, and effectiveness on timed tasks. Patients in the alcohol-dependent sample were also more likely to perceive themselves as cognitively impaired. It is interesting to note that the duration of alcohol use did not relate to neuropsychological test performance, but recent quantity consumed and days of sobriety were associated with nonverbal abstract reasoning ability.Conclusions: Executive functions are impaired early in abstinence and should, therefore, be taken into account when early behavioral treatments are being developed.

Differences in Executive Functions and Problem Solving Styles of Protracted Sober and Relapsed Alcohol-dependent Patients

“…In the literature, there is not always a relation between sobriety period and neurocognitive test performances [29][30][31]. In our study, no significance found between the relapsed and protracted sober groups for the Stroop test performances.…”

Neuropsychological functioning in opiate-dependent subjects receiving and following methadone maintenance treatment

“…Recent studies have suggested that cognitive status may play a role in treatment efficacy (Miller, 1991;Gottschalk et al, 2001;Aharonovic et al, 2003;Teichner et al, 2002). Thus, the deficits we have demonstrated in both MMT and PA patients suggest that these populations may benefit from more personal effectiveness programs, adult daily living skills, remedial education programs, and concrete treatment planning to improve outcomes (Czuchry and Dansereau, 2004;Zinn et al, 2004).…”

Actividad prefrontal y alcoholismo de fin de semana en jóvenes

“…El alcohol consumido de forma aguda provoca deterioro de las funciones cognitivas (Weissenborn y Duka, 2003) y este deterioro puede persistir en las fases iniciales de la abstinencia alcohólica (Zinn, Stein y Swartzwelder, 2004), lo cual nos ayuda a comprender la causa de que nuestros datos muestren un deterioro cognitivo en jóvenes cuya historia de consumo no es tan dilatada en el tiempo, equivalente al encontrado en consumidores crónicos con una historia de consumo de duración mucho mayor. Además, diversos estudios ponen de manifiesto que los adolescentes, cuyo cerebro esta aún en desarrollo y por tanto es más vulnerable, son más sensibles que los adultos a una gran parte de los efectos del alcohol, incluido el deterioro de los procesos cognitivos, especialmente, la memoria y el aprendizaje, y que esos efectos pueden continuar en la etapa adulta incluso habiendo dejado de consumir alcohol (Crews, Braun, Hoplight, Switzer y Knaapp;2000;Crews et al, 2000;HillerSturmhofel y Swartzwelder, 2004;Tokunaga, Silvers y Matthews, 2006;Yttri, Buro y Hunt, 2004).…”