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Chronic alcoholism and the frontal lobe: which executive functions are imparied?
Author(s) -
Ratti M. T.,
Bo P.,
Giardini A.,
Soragna D.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0404.2002.0o315.x
Subject(s) - wisconsin card sorting test , stroop effect , frontal lobe , psychology , executive functions , neuropsychological test , audiology , neuropsychology , trail making test , minnesota multiphasic personality inventory , wechsler adult intelligence scale , executive dysfunction , cognition , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , personality , social psychology
Objective – Over the last decade, various hypotheses have been advanced concerning the cognitive functions affected by chronic alcoholism. The aim of this study was to identify the pattern of executive function impairment in chronic alcoholism, shedding light on possible differences between specific functions related to the frontal lobe. Methods – Twenty‐two male alcoholics and 22 controls, matched for age, educational level and IQ, were enrolled in the study. MMPI and a battery of neuropsychological tests [i.e. digit symbol, trail making test, Stroop test, digit cancellation test, Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), simple and choice reaction times] for assessing frontal lobe functioning were administered. Results – The alcoholics were found to be impaired in a wide range of executive domains, with the exception of the Stroop test, which nevertheless showed a trend towards statistically significant differences between patients and controls. Conclusion – With the exception of aggression – our subjects did not have high aggression scale scores – the `frontal lobe hypothesis', according to which alcoholic patients are impaired on function tests related to the frontal lobe, was therefore confirmed in our sample.