Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Digit-symbol performance in methadone-treated ex-heroin addicts

P W Appel, N B Gordon

    The American Journal of Psychiatry
    |November 1, 1976
    PubMed
    Summary

    Attention function in patients on methadone maintenance was assessed using the Digit-Symbol Substitution Task (DSST). Nonworking patients on methadone showed lower DSST scores, but remained within normal ranges, with no treatment duration-related decline.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Varied input stimuli and motor learning .

    Journal of motor behavior·2013
    Same author

    Exploring Earth's oldest geological record in Greenland.

    Eos·2002
    Same author

    Comparison of self-report and hair analysis in detecting cocaine use in a homeless/transient sample.

    Journal of psychoactive drugs·2001
    Same author

    Selected in-treatment outcomes of long-term methadone maintenance treatment patients in New York State.

    The Mount Sinai journal of medicine, New York·2001
    Same author

    Causes and rates of death among methadone maintenance patients before and after the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

    The Mount Sinai journal of medicine, New York·2000
    Same author

    Sustained attention in methadone patients.

    The International journal of the addictions·1982

    Area of Science:

    • Neuroscience
    • Psychology
    • Pharmacology

    Background:

    • Methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) is a common treatment for opioid use disorder.
    • Cognitive functions, particularly attention, may be affected by MMT.
    • Understanding attention in MMT patients is crucial for treatment adherence and outcomes.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate attention function in patients receiving high-dose methadone maintenance.
    • To compare attention levels between working and nonworking patients on methadone maintenance.
    • To investigate the relationship between methadone treatment duration and attention.

    Main Methods:

    • The Digit-Symbol Substitution Task (DSST) from the WAIS was administered.
    • Participants included working (MW) and nonworking (MNW) patients on high-dose methadone maintenance.
    • Two comparison groups were included for baseline data.

    Main Results:

    • The nonworking methadone group (MNW) exhibited significantly lower mean DSST scores compared to other groups.
    • Despite lower scores, the MNW group's performance remained within the normal range.
    • A positive correlation was found between DSST scores and the length of methadone treatment (11 months to 8 years).

    Conclusions:

    • Attention function, as measured by DSST, is generally preserved in patients on high-dose methadone maintenance.
    • Nonworking status may be associated with a mild deficit in attention within this population.
    • There is no evidence of cognitive deterioration in attention with increasing duration of methadone treatment.

    Related Experiment Videos