The impact of intermediate-term alcohol abstinence on memory retrieval and suppression

Viola L Nemeth,Gabor Csifcsak,Denes A Almasi,Eszter Kurgyis,Anikã³ Maraz,Gergely Drotos,Petronella Szikszay,Balint Ando,Anita Must,Zoltã¡N Janka

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01396

Viola L Nemeth, Gabor Csifcsak + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01396

Copy DOI

Abstract

Background: The nature of episodic memory deficit in intermediate-term abstinence from alcohol in alcohol dependence (AD) is not yet clarified. Deficits in inhibitory control are commonly reported in substance use disorders. However, much less is known about cognitive control suppressing interference from memory. The Think/No-think (TNT) paradigm is a well established method to investigate inhibition of associative memory retrieval.Methods: Thirty-six unmedicated patients with AD and 36 healthy controls (HCs) performed the TNT task. Thirty image–word pairs were trained up to a predefined accuracy level. Cued recall was examined in three conditions: Think (T) for items instructed to-be-remembered, No-think (NT) assessing the ability to suppress retrieval and Baseline (B) for general relational memory. Premorbid IQ, clinical variables and impulsivity measures were quantified.Results: AD patients had a significantly increased demand for training. Baseline memory abilities and effect of practice on retrieval were not markedly different between the groups. We found a significant main effect of group (HC vs. AD) × condition (B, T, and NT) and a significant difference in mean NT–B scores for the two groups.Discussion: AD and HC groups did not differ essentially in their baseline memory abilities. Also, the instruction to focus on retrieval improved episodic memory performance in both groups. Crucially, control participants were able to suppress relational words in the NT condition supporting the critical effect of cognitive control processes over inhibition of retrieval. In contrast to this, the ability of AD patients to suppress retrieval was found to be impaired.

Highlights

Harmful effects of chronic alcohol consumption on the brain have long been a topic of major interest (Fitzhugh et al, 1960)
Control participants were able to suppress relational words in the NT condition supporting the critical effect of cognitive control processes over inhibition of retrieval
The stage of intermediate-term abstinence would allow us to investigate the impact of chronic alcohol consumption on the ability to retrieve or suppress previously learned memory associations without the confounding effect of current alcohol use or symptoms of withdrawal

Summary

Introduction

Harmful effects of chronic alcohol consumption on the brain have long been a topic of major interest (Fitzhugh et al, 1960). Neuroanatomical alterations might well account for the impairment of various cognitive functions in alcohol dependence (AD; Chanraud et al, 2007). Previous research reported deficits in episodic memory in AD patients (Parker et al, 1974, 1976). Storage and retrieval of previously experienced events. These functions are primarily linked to structures of the medio-temporal lobe (Baddeley et al, 2009). The limbic system and the hippocampus are highly susceptible to chronic excessive alcohol consumption (Oscar-Berman and Marinkovic, 2003; Beresford et al, 2006). The nature of episodic memory deficit in intermediate-term abstinence from alcohol in alcohol dependence (AD) is not yet clarified. The Think/No-think (TNT) paradigm is a well established method to investigate inhibition of associative memory retrieval

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion