Cognitive function during early abstinence from opioid dependence: a comparison to age, gender, and verbal intelligence matched controls

Olga Jokela,Varpu Puuskari,Seppo Kähkönen,Hely Kalska,Pekka Rapeli,Reetta Kivisaari,Taina Autti

doi:10.1186/1471-244x-6-9

Olga Jokela, Varpu Puuskari + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244x-6-9

Copy DOI

Abstract

BackgroundIndividuals with opioid dependence have cognitive deficits during abuse period in attention, working memory, episodic memory, and executive function. After protracted abstinence consistent cognitive deficit has been found only in executive function. However, few studies have explored cognitive function during first weeks of abstinence. The purpose of this study was to study cognitive function of individuals with opioid dependence during early abstinence. It was hypothesized that cognitive deficits are pronounced immediately after peak withdrawal symptoms have passed and then partially recover.MethodsFifteen patients with opioid dependence and fifteen controls matched for, age, gender, and verbal intelligence were tested with a cognitive test battery When patients performed worse than controls correlations between cognitive performance and days of withdrawal, duration of opioid abuse, duration of any substance abuse, or opioid withdrawal symptom inventory score (Short Opiate Withdrawal Scale) were analyzed.ResultsEarly abstinent opioid dependent patients performed statistically significantly worse than controls in tests measuring complex working memory, executive function, and fluid intelligence. Their complex working memory and fluid intelligence performances correlated statistically significantly with days of withdrawal.ConclusionThe results indicate a rather general neurocognitive deficit in higher order cognition. It is suggested that cognitive deficit during early abstinence from opioid dependence is related to withdrawal induced neural dysregulation in the prefrontal cortex and is partly transient.

Highlights

Individuals with opioid dependence have cognitive deficits during abuse period in attention, working memory, episodic memory, and executive function
Analysis of correlations between inferior cognitive performance and days of withdrawal showed statistically significant results with fluid intelligence measured by the Culture Fair Intelligence Test (CFIT) performance and with complex working memory measured by the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT) (R = .65, P = 0.009 and R = .63, P = 0.01, respectively)
The high positive correlations that were found between fluid intelligence performance or complex working memory performance and days of withdrawal support the hypothesis of transient cognitive deficit

Summary

Introduction

Individuals with opioid dependence have cognitive deficits during abuse period in attention, working memory, episodic memory, and executive function. The purpose of this study was to study cognitive function of individuals with opioid dependence during early abstinence. When opioids are used chronically as pain relievers they may cause mild cognitive deficits in attention, complex working memory, and episodic memory [1,2]. Cognitive associations of chronic opioid abuse are more pronounced than in medical use. In studies concerning very recent or ongoing chronic opioid abuse there is even some, though not consistent, evidence for general intellectual decline [4,5]. There is evidence for deficits in attention, working memory, memory, and executive function [6,7,8]. The study of cognitive function within this time is relevant

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion