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Effects of crack cocaine on neurocognitive function
A L Hoff1, H Riordan, L Morris
1Biological Psychiatry Treatment and Research Center, Napa State Hospital, CA 94558, USA.
Psychiatry Research
|March 29, 1996
Summary
Crack cocaine use impacts brain function, leading to mixed results on cognitive tests. Some cognitive skills may improve, while others, like spatial memory, decline in users.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Crack cocaine affects frontal and temporal brain regions.
- Previous research suggests potential cognitive impairments in users.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cognitive performance differences between crack cocaine users and healthy volunteers.
- To determine the relationship between crack cocaine usage and neuropsychological test results.
Main Methods:
- Compared 38 crack cocaine users with 54 healthy volunteers.
- Utilized logistic regression and a battery of neuropsychological tests.
- Adjusted for age, education, socioeconomic status, and depression.
Main Results:
- Mixed findings on executive functioning: worse on Booklet Categories Test, better on Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and Controlled Oral Word Association.
- Impairment observed in spatial memory, confrontation naming, and Trail-making Test Part B.
- No significant impairment in verbal memory.
Conclusions:
- Continuous crack cocaine use results in a dissociative pattern of neuropsychological performance.
- Some cognitive functions may improve while others deteriorate.
- Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the permanence of these effects.