Attentional deficits in cocaine-dependent patients: Converging behavioral and electrophysiological evidence

Abstract

Although there are several reports of patients with cocaine dependence displaying cognitive deficits, the nature of their information processing deficits is not well characterized. In the present study, the attentional performance of cocaine-dependent patients (n = 14) was examined and compared with that of healthy control individuals (n = 15). Attention was assessed using an auditory oddball eventrelated task as well as the Continuous Performance Test (CPT; Identical Pairs version). The cocainedependent group displayed P300 amplitude reduction compared to controls. The group difference in P300 response latency did not reach significance. On the CPT, the cocaine-dependent patients displayed significantly poorer discriminability and greater errors of commission than the controls. There was a positive correlation between performance on the oddball event-related task and performance on the CPT. This investigation provides converging behavioral and electrophysiological evidence of attentional deficits in cocaine-dependent patients.

Potenciais evocados auditivos de tronco encefálico em usuários de crack e múltiplas drogas

“…Estes trabalhos mostraram uma diminuição das amplitudes e aumento das latências dos potenciais evocados auditivos de média e longa latência entre usuários de drogas, mesmo em períodos de abstinência, o que também é observado em pacientes esquizofrênicos/com transtornos psiquiátricos e em pessoas que mostraram uma maior chance de desenvolverem problemas com drogas e álcool. Os achados alterados dos potenciais evocados auditivos de média e longa latência, nestes casos, sugerem uma inabilidade de filtrar estímulos sensoriais não relevantes, de atenção seletiva, de manutenção da memória de trabalho e de discriminação, bem como foram associados com a existência de maior impulsividade (21)(22)(23) . A análise das latências absolutas e interpicos dos potenciais evocados auditivos de tronco encefálico (PEATE) feita no presente estudo não revelou diferenças entre os grupos de usuários de drogas e o grupo controle.…”

Psychostimulants and Cognition: A Continuum of Behavioral and Cognitive Activation

“…An effect size analysis concluded that cocaine's largest impact on cognition is evidenced by tests of attention, as well as visual and working memory (Jovanovski et al, 2005). An electrophysiological study of cocaine-dependent participants revealed a reduced amplitude in the P300 component, considered to reflect an impairment in attention and working memory functions, compared with controls (Gooding et al, 2008). Likewise, a study of 42 crack cocaineaddicted individuals demonstrated a general, mild level of cognitive impairment as measured by a battery of 16 different tests (Goldstein et al, 2004).…”

P300 as an auxiliary method in clinical practice: A review of literature

“…Numerous studies showed alterations of CEP P300 in neurological and psychiatric diseases, as well as consequences of traumatic damages of the brain, that is, craniocerebral injuries . Different substances that cause addiction, from alcohol and nicotine to various opiates, lead to changes in cognitive functions, including changes in P300 parameters, due to brain damage (54)(55)(56)(57)(58)(59)(60). Moreover, with P300 testing, damage of cognitive functions resulting from taking different medicines, especially antiepileptic drugs, can also be monitored (61)(62)(63).…”

“…Some studies reported changes in P300 amplitude and latency in cases of chronic consumption of nicotine, alcohol, as well as cannabis, opioids, cocaine, and ecstasy (Table 2) (8,(54)(55)(56)(57)(58)(59)(60).…”