Neuropsychological Deficits in Sober Alcoholics: Influences of Chronicity and Recent Alcohol Consumption

Beatty, William W.; Tivis, Rick; Stott, Heather D.; Nixon, Sara Jo; Parsons, Oscar A.

doi:10.1097/00000374-200002000-00003

Cited by 38 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Some studies have suggested that cognitive performance worsens in direct proportion to the severity and duration of alcoholism (Beatty et al, 2000;Parsons and Nixon, 1998). However, as in other studies, we detected no relationship between neuropsychological performance and drinking history or alcohol-related biological variables (Noel et al, 2001b;Schafer et al, 1991).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 49%

Brain Morphometry and Cognitive Performance in Detoxified Alcohol-Dependents with Preserved Psychosocial Functioning

Chanraud

Martelli

Delain

et al. 2006

Neuropsychopharmacol

368

295

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The extent of structural brain damage and related cognitive deficits has been little described in alcohol-dependent individuals with preserved social functioning. Thus, we investigated the relationship between regional alterations, executive performance, and drinking history. Volumes of gray and white matter were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging voxel-based morphometry in healthy men and in detoxified alcohol-dependent men with good psychosocial functioning. Their executive performance was assessed using neuropsychological tests. Regression analyses were carried out in the regions in which volume differences were detected. Decreases in gray matter were detected bilaterally in alcohol-dependents in the dorsolateral frontal cortex (up to 20% lower), and to a lesser extent in the temporal cortex, insula, thalamus, and cerebellum. Decreases in white matter volume were widespread, being up to 10% in corpus callosum. The degradation of neuropsychological performance correlated with gray matter volume decreases in the frontal lobe, insula, hippocampus, thalami and cerebellum, and with white matter decrease in the brainstem. An early age at first drinking was associated with decreased gray matter volumes in the cerebellum, brainstem (pons), and frontal regions. Regional alteration in gray and white matter volume was associated with impairment of executive function despite preserved social and somatic functioning in detoxified patients. Besides involving frontal regions, these findings are consistent with a cerebello-thalamo-cortical model of impaired executive functions in alcohol-dependent individuals.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 49%

Brain Morphometry and Cognitive Performance in Detoxified Alcohol-Dependents with Preserved Psychosocial Functioning

Chanraud

Martelli

Delain

et al. 2006

Neuropsychopharmacol

368

295

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…It is associated with more severe cocaine dependence (Higgins et al, 1994) and higher reports of adverse cocaine use consequences (Heil et al, 2001). NP deficits, such as attention, memory, and executive and motor functions, are commonly impaired with chronic alcohol use (Parsons and Nixon, 1993;Beatty et al, 2000;Ikeda et al, 2003); however, it is unclear how alcohol is related to NP deficits in cocaine addiction. Therefore, the current study examined whether cigarette smoking and alcohol use are differentially associated with NP performance in CUD.…”

Section: Nicotine and Alcohol Usementioning

confidence: 99%

The Neuropsychology of Cocaine Addiction: Recent Cocaine Use Masks Impairment

Woicik

Moeller

Alia‐Klein

et al. 2008

Neuropsychopharmacol

174

134

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Individuals with current cocaine use disorders (CUD) form a heterogeneous group, making sensitive neuropsychological (NP) comparisons with healthy individuals difficult. The current study examined the effects on NP functioning of four factors that commonly vary among CUD: urine status for cocaine (positive vs negative on study day), cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and dysphoria. Sixty-four cocaine abusers were matched to healthy comparison subjects on gender and race; the groups also did not differ in measures of general intellectual functioning. All subjects were administered an extensive NP battery measuring attention, executive function, memory, facial and emotion recognition, and motor function. Compared with healthy control subjects, CUD exhibited performance deficits on tasks of attention, executive function, and verbal memory (within one standard deviation of controls). Although CUD with positive urine status, who had higher frequency and more recent cocaine use, reported greater symptoms of dysphoria, these cognitive deficits were most pronounced in the CUD with negative urine status. Cigarette smoking, frequency of alcohol consumption, and dysphoria did not alter these results. The current findings replicate a previously reported statistically significant, but relatively mild NP impairment in CUD as compared with matched healthy control individuals and further suggest that frequent/recent cocaine may mask underlying cognitive (but not mood) disturbances. These results call for development of pharmacological agents targeted to enhance cognition, without negatively impacting mood in individuals addicted to cocaine.

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“…Studies attempting to link neuropsychological test performance with clinically relevant outcomes in this population have also been largely unsuccessful (Jin et al, 1998;Macciocchi et al, 1989). Executive dysfunction, in particular, is likely to be the result of complex processes, because significant associations with indices of drinking chronicity are rarely found [see Adams and Grant (1986) or Beatty et al (2000) for discussions of these factors]. The development of models that propose more complex mediated relationships between consumption history and cognitive functioning is merited.…”

Section: Self-perception Of Cognitive Deficitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Executive Functioning Early in Abstinence From Alcohol

Zinn

Stein

Swartzwelder

2004

Alcoholism Clin & Exp Res

108

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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.

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Neuropsychological Deficits in Sober Alcoholics: Influences of Chronicity and Recent Alcohol Consumption

Abstract: These data provide weak support for a dose effect relationship between degree of NP impairment and level of alcoholic drinking in the past 6 months but no evidence for an influence of chronicity.

Cited by 38 publications

References 16 publications

Brain Morphometry and Cognitive Performance in Detoxified Alcohol-Dependents with Preserved Psychosocial Functioning

Brain Morphometry and Cognitive Performance in Detoxified Alcohol-Dependents with Preserved Psychosocial Functioning

The Neuropsychology of Cocaine Addiction: Recent Cocaine Use Masks Impairment

Executive Functioning Early in Abstinence From Alcohol

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