Neuropsychological measures and event-related potentials in alcoholics: Interrelationships, long-term reliabilities, and prediction of resumption of drinking

Abstract

Sober male and female alcoholics and peer controls were tested and then retested 14 months later on neuropsychological performance tests (NTP) and also had event‐related potentials (ERPs) recorded (non‐concurrently) to visual stimulation. Both NTP and ERP measures distinguish male alcoholics from peer controls at test and retest; NTP, but not ERP, scores distinguish female alcoholics from peer controls. Both measures manifest moderate to high reliabilities over time and are correlated modestly. NTP and ERP measures obtained at the end of treatment predict future resumers and abstainers 8 to 14 months later. The results demonstrate the utility of biopsychological approaches to alcoholism and support Grant's (1986) concept of alcoholics as suffering from an intermediate duration (subacute) organic mental disorder.

Gender Differences in Cognitive Functioning in Older Alcohol-Dependent Patients

“…If this were the case for our study sample before they became addicted, which we have not been able to verify, the effects of excessive alcohol use on sensitivity to interference may have been stronger in women than in men, resulting in a similar performance. A similar performance in men and women on cognitive tests was also found in several other studies, in younger alcohol-dependent patients (Acker, 1986;Alarcon, Nalpas, Pelletier, & Perney, 2015;Parsons, 1994).…”

“…Alarcon, Nalpas, Pelletier, and Perney (2015) observed no gender differences in scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in hospitalized alcohol-dependent patients aged 49.9 ± 9.2 years. In a sample of 143 male and female alcoholics in their thirties, Parsons (1994) did not find gender differences in performance on 16 neurocognitive tests in the verbal, visual-spatial, perceptual-motor, and semantic memory domains. No gender differences were found either when the same tests were administered to another sample of 90 alcoholics, and efficiency (accuracy divided by time needed to complete the test) was taken into account (Glenn & Parsons, 1992).…”

Executive function, mentalizing and humor in major depression

“…These deficits were also related to executive functions and mentalizing. The deficits in alcoholic patients can be interpreted in the context of the frontal lobe hypothesis, which asserts a specific vulnerability of the prefrontal cortex to the neurotoxic effects of alcohol (Parsons, 1994). In addition, the frontal lobes have been reported to be disproportionately affected by normal aging (Tisserand & Jolles, 2003;West & Covell, 2001).…”

Moderate-to-heavy alcohol intake is associated with differences in synchronization of brain activity during rest and mental rehearsal

“…The impairments reported are non-specific and range from basic processes, such as reduced perceptual and motor speed, to complex processes, like diminished cognitive flexibility (e.g. Di Sclafani et al, 1995;Parsons, 1994). Heavy drinkers (defined by Parsons, 1998 as people consuming 21 drinks per week or more who are not alcoholdependent) also have cognitive deficits as compared to light and moderate drinkers (Parker and Noble, 1977;Parsons, 1998;Parsons and Nixon, 1998), but these deficits are smaller than in alcoholics.…”