Les Rencontres de Biarritz 2007 - THS 10

METHADONE DOSE AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT
IN METHADONE MAINTAINED PATIENTS
RÉSUMÉ / ABSTRACT
SWINGEDOUW V
AURIACOMBE S
REVIRIEGO E
DENIS C
FATSÉAS M
AURIACOMBE M
Few well-controlled studies have assessed executive and attentional performance in methadone
maintained patients. Moreover, these studies have not differentiated impairments due to
acute methadone intake, chronic methadone maintenance, history of substance use, and other
factors.
Objective: To assess if methadone dosage affects performance of executive and attentional
functions.
Methods: Methadone maintained opiate-dependent patients stable for at least 3 months
without any severe psychiatric disorder or alcohol dependence were included. Subjects were
administered a battery of neuropsychological tests (Trail Making, Stroop, letter and category
fluency, Wisconsin Card Sorting test, D2 cancellation test, Wechsler Symbol Digit test, Digit
span). Socio-demographic data, history of substance use, number of overdoses, and viral serology
were collected through the Addiction Severity Index. Self-reported drug use was verified
by urine testing.
Results: 22 subjects were included. Two groups were determined according to the median of
methadone dosage (90 mg/ day). No difference was found between groups for assessed potential
confounding factors except for number of previous overdoses and HIV status that were
higher in the group receiving higher dosage. Higher methadone-dosage group exhibited a
constant trend toward slower performance than the other group (longer execution time of TMT-
B, less read words in Stroop, less words given in fluency test, less signs written in Wechsler
Symbol Digit), except for d2-test. However, no difference reached statistical significance.
Conclusion: Higher methadone dosage might be associated with psychomotor speed impairment.
Impairment of executive and attention functions may have important implications for
functioning in methadone maintenance treatment. Further research is necessary to determine
the clinical significance of the impairments for daily performance in the natural environment.
MOTS CLÉS / KEYWORDS
Non communiqué...
V. Swingedouw, S. Auriacombe, E. Reviriego, C. Denis, M. Fatséas, M. Auriacombe
marc.auriacombe@u-bordeaux2.fr
Addiction Psychiatry, JE2358, INSERM IFR 99, University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2,
Bordeaux, France.
Cognitive neurology, Neurology Department, Bordeaux University Hospital, Bordeaux,
France.
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