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Modification of Automatic Alcohol‐Approach Tendencies in Alcohol‐Dependent Patients with Mild or Major Neurocognitive Disorder
Author(s) -
Loijen Anke,
Rinck Mike,
Walvoort Serge J. W.,
Kessels Roy P. C.,
Becker Eni S.,
Egger Jos I. M.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.13529
Subject(s) - neurocognitive , alcohol , psychology , alcohol use disorder , cognition , population , alcohol dependence , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , biochemistry , chemistry , environmental health
Background To examine the applicability of an alcohol‐avoidance training procedure in patients with alcohol dependence and alcohol‐induced neurocognitive disorders (NDs), we trained 2 groups that differed in the degree of cognitive impairment: One group fulfilled the DSM ‐5 criteria for alcohol‐induced mild ND, and 1 group was diagnosed with Korsakoff's syndrome (KS) (alcohol‐induced major ND, confabulatory/amnesic subtype; DSM ‐5). The intervention is assumed to match the preserved cognitive capacity for implicit learning in both groups. Methods Fifty‐one inpatients with a mild ND and 54 inpatients with KS were trained. Six training sessions (including pre‐ and posttests) of a computerized implicit alcohol approach‐avoidance task were applied. Neurocognitive variables were available from the standard assessment procedure of the clinic. Results Training of alcohol‐avoidance tendencies is feasible in a population with alcohol‐related NDs. The alcohol‐approach bias decreased for both groups in each session. Better learning results over time were obtained in participants with a larger baseline alcohol‐approach tendency. Learning effects were positively related to age and implicit (nondeclarative) memory functioning. No relation between training effects and executive or explicit memory functions was found. Conclusions Training of an alcohol‐avoidance tendency can be successfully applied in patients with alcohol dependence including those with alcohol‐induced NDs.