Neuropsychological Profile of Persons with Alcohol Use Disorder: Findings from De-addiction Centres of Delhi-NCR
Keywords:
alcohol comsumption, addiction, cognitive functioning, disorderAbstract
Background: Persons with alcohol use disorder exhibit mild-to-moderate deficits in cognitive functioning including attention span, working memory, executive functions, visuospatial abilities and verbal fluency. Depression is also known to play a mediating role during this decline.
Aim: This study aims to understand differences in the cognitive functioning among the persons with alcohol use disorder and non-users.
Method: For this study, a purposive sample of 50 male patients with alcohol dependence and 50 male normal participants was collected from different de-addiction centres located in Delhi and NCR. PGI Memory Scale, NIMHANS Neuropsychological Battery and BDI-II were used for the purpose of this study. To analyse the data t-test, Chi-Square/Fishers Exact Test and Correlation were used.
Results: The results of the study revealed that majority of the participants in the alcoholic group were unmarried, having undergraduate degree. The family history of alcohol abuse was seen in 64% of the participants in the alcoholic group. The minimum and maximum initiation age of alcohol consumption was 15 and 27 years respectively. Mild impairment in cognitive functioning like attention & concentration, executive functioning, abstraction and comprehension was reported in the alcoholic group. However, minimal impairment was found in verbal learning & memory, visual learning & memory and visuomotor gestalt along with mild depression among the persons with alcohol use disorder; although, there was no difference in the performance between depressed and non-depressed alcoholics in terms of verbal fluency and free recall deficits.
Conclusions: Long-term use of Alcohol affects cognitive functions. This knowledge can be used as awareness campaign against alcohol use and by clinical psychologists in planning effective psychotherapeutic interventions.
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