Cognitive functions in opioid-dependent males according to duration of abstinence

Objective: Opioid dependence is a neurobehavioral disorder characterized by repeated compulsive craving or using an opioid. In this study, we aimed to evaluate cognitive functions according to the duration of abstinence and other factors affecting cognitive functions. Method: The study was carried out between February and April 2017 at the Psychiatry Department of Gazi University Medical Faculty. A total of 96 adult males participated; all of them had received detoxification treatment and were undergoing maintenance treatment. Patients were divided into three groups according to the duration of abstinence. First, a sociodemographic data form and Beck Anxiety Inventory were administered. Afterwards, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test, and Stroop Test were applied. Results: The sample group showed no significant impairment in their cognitive functions when compared to the norm values. The group of patients with 0-3 months of abstinence had higher memory scores than those who had been abstinent for more than 1 year. We also found that duration of multiple substance use, age of first substance use, and the number of treatments undergone affected some of the cognitive functions negatively. Conclusion: This study is the first in which cognitive functions have been evaluated in opioid-dependent males in Turkey. It is not possible to control all of the factors affecting cognitive functions. Therefore, prospective studies and animal studies in which the effect of opioids can be examined exclusively are needed.