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Recovery of visual‐spatial learning and memory in chronic alcoholics
Author(s) -
Leber Wiliam R.,
Jenkins Robert L.,
Parsons Oscar A.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(198101)37:1<192::aid-jclp2270370140>3.0.co;2-m
Subject(s) - psychology , abstinence , chronic alcoholic , nonverbal communication , verbal learning , audiology , right hemisphere , verbal memory , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , cognition , psychiatry , cognitive psychology , medicine
Administered the Memory‐for‐Designs Test and a verbal and Visuospatial paired associate learning test to separate groups of alcoholics ( N = 32) 3 and 11 weeks abstinent from alcohol and to a matched control group ( N = 16). Alcoholics were not impaired in verbal learning. Alcoholics 3 weeks abstinent performed significantly less well than controls on all nonverbal tasks and less well than 11‐weeks alcoholics on one nonverbal measure. No significant differences were found between 11‐week alcoholics and controls. The results suggest that some recovery of function may occur in alcoholics after 10 weeks of abstinence. The data also support the hypothesis of impaired right hemisphere in alcoholics.