Neuropsychological functioning in college students who misuse prescription stimulants

Relatively little is known about the neuropsychological profiles of college students who misuse prescription stimulant medications.

Data presented are from college students aged 18-28 years who misused prescription stimulants prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and controls (no prescription stimulant misuse). Students were assessed neuropsychologically using the self-report Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF-A), the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test and Battery (CANTAB), and other tests of cognitive functioning. The analyses included 198 controls (age 20.7 ± 2.6 years) and 100 prescription stimulant misusers (age 20.7 ± 1.7 years).

On the BRIEF-A, misusers were more likely than controls to endorse greater dysfunction on 8 of 12 measures including Inhibition, Self Monitor, Initiation, Working Memory, and Plan/Organize, when adjusting for race and sex (all p's < .05). Similarly, when dichotomizing the BRIEF-A as abnormal (T score ≥ 65), misusers had more abnormalities on five of nine subscales, as well as all major indices (p's < .05). Misusers also performed worse on several subtests of the CANTAB and standardized cognitive battery (p's < .05). A proxy of prescription stimulant misuse frequency was positively correlated with greater executive dysfunction on the BRIEF-A.

These data demonstrate elevated risk for neuropsychological dysfunction among students who misuse prescription stimulants compared to non-misusing peers. The presence of ADHD contributed significantly to these cognitive findings. Students who misuse prescription stimulants should be screened for neuropsychological dysfunction.

These data may better elucidate the neuropsychological profile of college-aged prescription stimulant misusers. (Am J Addict 2017;26:379-387).