TY - JOUR
T1 - The frontal assessment battery (FAB) reveals neurocognitive dysfunction in substance-dependent individuals in distinct executive domains
T2 - Abstract reasoning, motor programming, and cognitive flexibility
AU - Cunha, Paulo Jannuzzi
AU - Nicastri, Sergio
AU - de Andrade, Arthur Guerra
AU - Bolla, Karen I.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding for this study was provided by The State of São Paulo Research Foundation — Brazil (FAPESP) Grant 00/12081-5 (S. Nicastri, MD, PhD). The NIDA International Program provided support for discussion with experts in the field. The FAPESP and the NIDA had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.
Funding Information:
This research was supported in part by the State of São Paulo Research Foundation — Brazil (FAPESP) Grant 00/12081-5 (S. Nicastri, MD, PhD). The authors would like to thank the NIDA International Program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) for the WHO/NIDA/CPDD International Fellowship, Laura Fracasso, psychologist at the APOT (where some part of our data were collected), CEAPPESQ (Centro de Apoio a Pesquisa) and the FUAA (Fundo de Aprimoramento Acadêmico), Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Fundacao Faculdade de Medicina (FFM), Hospital das Clínicas, Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), SP, Brazil. The authors would also like to thank Dr. Adam J. Sargeant, Dr. Rafael Izbicki (statistician), and Dr. Eduardo Nakano (statistician), for their comments about this manuscript.
PY - 2010/10
Y1 - 2010/10
N2 - Substance-dependence is highly associated with executive cognitive function (ECF) impairments. However, considering that it is difficult to assess ECF clinically, the aim of the present study was to examine the feasibility of a brief neuropsychological tool (the Frontal Assessment Battery - FAB) to detect specific ECF impairments in a sample of substance-dependent individuals (SDI). Sixty-two subjects participated in this study. Thirty DSM-IV-diagnosed SDI, after 2. weeks of abstinence, and 32 healthy individuals (control group) were evaluated with FAB and other ECF-related tasks: digits forward (DF), digits backward (DB), Stroop Color Word Test (SCWT), and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). SDI did not differ from the control group on sociodemographic variables or IQ. However, SDI performed below the controls in DF, DB, and FAB. The SDI were cognitively impaired in 3 of the 6 cognitive domains assessed by the FAB: abstract reasoning, motor programming, and cognitive flexibility. The FAB correlated with DF, SCWT, and WCST. In addition, some neuropsychological measures were correlated with the amount of alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine use. In conclusion, SDI performed more poorly than the comparison group on the FAB and the FAB's results were associated with other ECF-related tasks. The results suggested a negative impact of alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine use on the ECF. The FAB may be useful in assisting professionals as an instrument to screen for ECF-related deficits in SDI.
AB - Substance-dependence is highly associated with executive cognitive function (ECF) impairments. However, considering that it is difficult to assess ECF clinically, the aim of the present study was to examine the feasibility of a brief neuropsychological tool (the Frontal Assessment Battery - FAB) to detect specific ECF impairments in a sample of substance-dependent individuals (SDI). Sixty-two subjects participated in this study. Thirty DSM-IV-diagnosed SDI, after 2. weeks of abstinence, and 32 healthy individuals (control group) were evaluated with FAB and other ECF-related tasks: digits forward (DF), digits backward (DB), Stroop Color Word Test (SCWT), and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). SDI did not differ from the control group on sociodemographic variables or IQ. However, SDI performed below the controls in DF, DB, and FAB. The SDI were cognitively impaired in 3 of the 6 cognitive domains assessed by the FAB: abstract reasoning, motor programming, and cognitive flexibility. The FAB correlated with DF, SCWT, and WCST. In addition, some neuropsychological measures were correlated with the amount of alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine use. In conclusion, SDI performed more poorly than the comparison group on the FAB and the FAB's results were associated with other ECF-related tasks. The results suggested a negative impact of alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine use on the ECF. The FAB may be useful in assisting professionals as an instrument to screen for ECF-related deficits in SDI.
KW - Alcohol
KW - Cannabis
KW - Cocaine
KW - Neuropsychology
KW - Prefrontal cortex
KW - Substance use
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U2 - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.05.005
DO - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.05.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 20584570
AN - SCOPUS:77954312140
SN - 0306-4603
VL - 35
SP - 875
EP - 881
JO - Addictive Behaviors
JF - Addictive Behaviors
IS - 10
ER -