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Cognitive Dysfunction in the Addictions (CDiA): protocol for a neuron-to-neighbourhood collaborative research
Yuliya S Nikolova1,2,3, Anthony C Ruocco1,2,3,4, Daniel Felsky1,2,5
1Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
|June 4, 2025
Summary
Cognitive dysfunction, specifically executive functions (EFs), plays a key role in substance use disorders (SUDs). Understanding EFs
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
Background:
- Substance use disorders (SUDs) are a significant global health challenge.
- Executive functions (EFs) are implicated in addiction mechanisms, but their role in SUDs requires further elucidation.
- Existing research has gaps in understanding EFs' links to neural circuits, biomarkers, disorder heterogeneity, and functional outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the Cognitive Dysfunction in the Addictions (CDiA) program, an integrative research initiative.
- To investigate the crucial role of EFs in functional outcomes for individuals with SUDs.
- To fill knowledge gaps and drive discoveries for enhanced SUD treatments.
Main Methods:
- An interdisciplinary program involving seven projects with a target sample of 400 adults (aged 18-60) undergoing SUD treatment.
- Longitudinal follow-up over one year to assess associations between SUDs, EFs (inhibition, working memory, set-shifting), neural circuits, biomarkers, and functional outcomes.
- Includes clinical trials (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation), preclinical studies, healthcare utilization analysis, qualitative research, and advanced data modeling (clustering, deep learning).
Main Results:
- Projects 1-3 examine relationships between SUD symptoms, brain circuits, blood biomarkers, EFs, and functional outcomes (disability, quality of life).
- Projects 4-5 evaluate interventions impacting EFs in SUDs.
- Project 6 links EFs to healthcare use and treatment engagement barriers.
- Project 7 integrates multi-modal data to identify patient subtypes using advanced computational methods.
Conclusions:
- The CDiA Program aims to integrate diverse scientific domains to understand EFs' link to SUD severity and recovery.
- Findings will facilitate novel discoveries to improve treatments and health outcomes for individuals with SUDs.
- This research supports a holistic, biopsychosocial approach to addressing cognitive aspects of addiction.
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