Testing Three Theories of Cognitive Dysfunction in Problem Alcohol Use

- Objectives : many hypotheses concerning the cognitive functions affected by chronic alcoholism have been advanced. The aim of this study was to test cognitive performance in a sample of alcoholics and to examine results comparing three different models: the frontal lobe hypothesis, the lateralization hypothesis and the diffuse brain hypothesis. - Methods : 51 patients who refer to alcoholism service have been included in this study. Cognitive functions were assessed by trained psychologist with a specific neuropsychological battery. -Results : our results show a ranking of impairment degrees in different cognitive functions and different influence of clinical features. In our sample the frontal lobe hypothesis was disconfirmed. Results on right hemisphere seems to required more investigation and the generalized deficit hypothesis was not confirmed. - Conclusion : Cognitive deficits may compromise patients’ utilization of rehabilitative information. There is an increasing attention on the opportunity to integrate a specific support to cognitive functions in alcohol detox programme. The first step to program the clinical intervention is to have a complete overview of cognitive deficits in alcoholics clinical sample.