Methamphetamine Users Show No Behavioral Deficits in Response Selection After Protracted Abstinence

Bibliographic Data

ID15523912
AuthorsWiebke Bensmann (Technische Universität Dresden), Julia Ernst (0000-0002-4532-4418, Technische Universität Dresden), Marion Rädle (Technische Universität Dresden), Antje Opitz (0000-0001-6106-1307, Technische Universität Dresden), Christian Beste (0000-0002-2989-9561, Technische Universität Dresden), Ann‐Kathrin Stock (0000-0001-7113-4020, Technische Universität Dresden, corresponding author), Ann-Kathrin Stock
Year2019
Volume10
Pages823-823
Publication date2019-11-19
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1664-0640 • E-ISSN: 1664-0640
PublisherFrontiers Media (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00823
PMID31803080
OpenAlexW2981484582
LanguageEN
References cited77

Introduction: Chronic recreational methamphetamine use causes dopaminergic neurotoxicity, which has been linked to impairments in executive functioning. Within this functional domain, response selection and the resolution of associated conflicts have repeatedly been demonstrated to be strongly modulated by dopamine. Yet, it has never been investigated whether chronic methamphetamine use leads to general impairments in response selection (i.e., irrespective of consumption-associated behavior) after substance use is discontinued. Materials and Methods: We tested n = 24 abstinent methamphetamine users (on average 2.7 years of abstinence) and n = 24 individually matched controls in a cross-sectional design with a flanker task. Results: Compared to healthy controls, former methamphetamine consumers had significantly slower reaction times, but did not show differences in the size of the flanker or Gratton effect, or post-error slowing. Complementary Bayesian analyses further substantiated this lack of effects despite prior consumption for an average of 7.2 years. Discussion: The ability to select a correct response from a subset of conflicting alternatives, as well as the selective attention required for this seem to be largely preserved in case of prolonged abstinence. Likewise, the ability to take previous contextual information into account during response selection and to process errors seem to be largely preserved as well. Complementing previously published finding of worse inhibition/interference control in abstinent consumers, our results suggest that not all executive domains are (equally) impaired by methamphetamine, possibly because different cognitive processes require different levels of dopamine activity

Abstinence · Methamphetamine · Psychiatry · Selection (genetic algorithm · Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Clinical Psychology · Computer Science · Medicine · Neuroscience · Psychology · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes