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Impulsivity and Alcohol Dependence Treatment Completion: Is There a Neurocognitive Risk Factor at Treatment Entry?
Claudia I Rupp1, J Katharina Beck1, Andreas Heinz2
1Division of Biological Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research
|December 20, 2015
Summary
Neurocognitive impulsivity, specifically poor response inhibition, predicts treatment dropout and relapse in alcohol-dependent patients. Early identification of these impulsivity traits can improve treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Impulsivity is linked to alcohol dependence.
- Neurocognitive aspects of impulsivity's impact on treatment outcomes are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of neurocognitive impulsivity at treatment onset on treatment completion in alcohol-dependent patients.
Main Methods:
- 43 alcohol-dependent patients completed neurocognitive impulsivity measures (Go/No-go task, Stop Signal Task, Delay Discounting Test, Iowa Gambling Task) at treatment initiation.
- Patients were categorized by treatment completion: regular (planned discharge, no relapse) or irregular (dropout, relapse).
Main Results:
- Patients with irregular treatment courses showed significantly poorer Go/No-go response inhibition.
- A trend towards greater delay discounting was observed in patients with irregular treatment courses.
- Poor Go/No-go response inhibition predicted an irregular treatment course, particularly relapse.
Conclusions:
- Neurocognitive impulsivity significantly affects alcohol treatment completion.
- Impaired response inhibition and steeper delay discounting are neurocognitive risk factors for relapse and dropout.
- These risk factors can be identified early in alcohol dependence treatment.
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