Associations of executive function and age of first use of methamphetamine with methamphetamine relapse

Abstract

Background and aimsMethamphetamine (MA) is a psychostimulant associated with a high relapse rate among patients with MA use disorder (MUD). Long-term use of MA is associated with mental disorders, executive dysfunction, aggressive behaviors, and impulsivity among patients with MUD. However, identifying which factors may be more closely associated with relapse has not been investigated. Thus, we aimed to investigate the psychological factors and the history of MA use that may influence MA relapse.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 168 male MUD patients (MUD group) and 65 healthy male residents (control group). Each patient was evaluated with self-report measures of executive dysfunction, psychopathological symptoms, impulsiveness, aggressiveness, and history of MA use. Data were analyzed with t-tests, analyses of variance, and correlation and regression analyses.ResultsThe MUD group reported greater executive dysfunction, psychopathological symptoms, impulsivity, and aggression than the control group. Lower age of first MA use was associated both with having relapsed one or more times and with having relapsed two or more times; greater executive dysfunction was associated only with having relapsed two or more times.ConclusionPatients with MUD reported worse executive function and mental health. Current results also suggest that lower age of first MA use may influence relapse rate in general, while executive dysfunction may influence repeated relapse in particular. The present results add to the literature concerning factors that may increase the risk of relapse in individuals with MUD.

The risk assessment of relapse among newly enrolled participants in methadone maintenance treatment: A group-LASSO based Bayesian network study

“…It might be because the number of relapsed and non-relapsed HIV-positive participants was the same (23 vs. 23, see Supplementary Table 2 ), and no statistical significance was detected between the groups. Apart from this, other findings that young participants who were addicted to drugs at an early age with poor compliance to MMT were at a risk of relapse, which was confirmed by previous research ( 56 , 57 ).…”

Factors Associated with Relapses in Alcohol and Substance Use Disorder

“… 59 Cognitive deficits such as impairments in learning and memory processes in heroin addicts and executive dysfunction in methamphetamine use disorder have been found to be associated with higher relapse rates. 74 , 75 …”

Identification of the circRNA–miRNA–mRNA network for treating methamphetamine‐induced relapse and behavioral sensitization with cannabidiol

“…Methamphetamine (METH) is a widely abused substance globally, specifically emerging as the most commonly abused drug in China 3,4 . Moreover, it exhibits extraordinarily high mental dependence and relapse rates, 5 resulting in chronic, intermittent, and recurrent METH use among drug users. Chronic METH use significantly increases the risk of METH‐induced psychosis (MIP), impacting approximately 26%–46% of individuals dependent on METH 6 .…”