Cognitive Reserve During Neuropsychological Performance in HIV Intravenous Drug Users

Abstract

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders are frequently observed in people with HIV. We aimed to evaluate the influence of cognitive reserve on the neuropsychological performance of seropositive drug users. We carried out a neuropsychological assessment and compared the performance of seropositive drug users (n = 75) with that of a group of seronegative drug users (n = 48). The results showed that a low cognitive reserve makes the seropositive patients neuropsychologically vulnerable. Likewise, we found that a high cognitive reserve has a protective effect in the presence of neuropsychological impairment associated with HIV. In the seronegative group, differences in a small number of tests were found between participants with low and high cognitive reserve. Overall, these data suggest that seropositivity is not sufficient to explain the neuropsychological alterations of seropositive drug users; rather, these alterations are multifactorial.

Neuropsychological Profile of Women with Substance-Related Disorders under Treatment in a Drug Dependence Unit

“…In this sense, it is possible that the results obtained in the process of neuropsychological assessment are affected by the effects exerted on the cognitive functions of the psychiatric pathology that suffer from a high percentage of the patients studied and the pharmacological treatment that they take regularly to treat those pathologies, Although it seems evident that they present important alterations in the executive functions. It is also necessary to take into account the limitations inherent to studies in the drug-dependent population, such as heterogeneous samples (policonsumidores, consumption pattern), low level of cognitive reserve [6] Causal relationship between neuropsychological alterations and prolonged substance use. Future studies should employ larger samples, a randomized control group, a greater number of women, EEGbased neuromarkers, functional neuroimaging techniques, and functional connectivity analysis.…”

“…A battery of neuropsychological evaluation was applied to an intentional sample composed of 25 drug-dependent women with subjective complaints of attention and / or memory, who were referred to the area of neuropsychology of the Drug Dependency Unit of the Concello de Vigo CEDRO (Galicia, Spain). The scores related to the cognitive / executive functioning of the sample are indicative of difficulties in visuospatial processing speed (M = 43.79, SD = 14.88) The use of psychoactive substances has been consistently associated with the presence of alterations in different neuropsychological processes: memory, attention or executive functions [4][5][6][7][8].…”

“…A battery of neuropsychological evaluation was applied to an intentional sample composed of 25 drug-dependent women with subjective complaints of attention and / or memory, who were referred to the area of neuropsychology of the Drug Dependency Unit of the Concello de Vigo CEDRO (Galicia, Spain). The scores related to the cognitive / executive functioning of the sample are indicative of difficulties in visuospatial processing speed (M = 43.79, SD = 14.88) The use of psychoactive substances has been consistently associated with the presence of alterations in different neuropsychological processes: memory, attention or executive functions [4][5][6][7][8].Most studies carried out in the drug-dependent population are mostly or exclusively male [9], and few studies have analyzed gender differences, although this aspect is of great relevance for the knowledge of the different disorders, As expressed in the guidelines for the development of future diagnostic classifications.In the current 2013-2016 Action Plan, the importance of the gender focus for specific attention to drug-dependent women (National Plan on Drugs, 2013a) is highlighted on multiple occasions. These proposals reflect a need already demanded in theoretical and research papers that demonstrate the existence of differences between women and men in terms of drug use and their psychological intervention, often using a traditional nonspecific intervention model.…”

“…The use of psychoactive substances has been consistently associated with the presence of alterations in different neuropsychological processes: memory, attention or executive functions [4][5][6][7][8].…”

Rehabilitation Program for Deficit Awareness “The Trisquel”

“…In this context, addictive disorders have been defined as a pathology of motivation and decision making [2,3] and are considered a disease of the brain that can be treated [4]. Consumption of psychoactive substances has been consistently associated with the presence of alterations in different neuropsychological processes: memory, attention or executive functions [5][6][7][8][9], neuropsychological alterations present even after prolonged periods of abstinence [10]. Also, in a more applied area, there is a growing interest in the improvement of neurocognitive rehabilitation procedures in its application to the treatment of addictions [11][12][13][14][15][16][17] and other comorbid conditions such as the acquired immunodeficiency virus [18,19 ].…”