Intellectual impairment among recently abstinent alcohol abusers

Two samples of adequately detoxified hospital-treated alcohol abusers were neuropsychologically assessed for alcohol-related cognitive impairment. Both groups manifested the commonly found impairments on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (N = 50) and the Revised Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (N = 44). In addition, an almost identical pattern of substantial impairment was found when both groups were examined by Russell's (1975, 1988) version of the logical memory and visual reproduction subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale. A clear pattern of memory impairment for both verbal and non-verbal memory was found.