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The Influence of Alcohol in Chronic Cocaine Abuse: A Follow up Study
| Title: | The Influence of Alcohol in Chronic Cocaine Abuse: A Follow up Study. |
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| Name(s): |
Simmers, Chad Paul Rosselli, Monica, Thesis advisor Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor |
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| Type of Resource: | text | |
| Genre: | Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation | |
| Date Created: | 2008 | |
| Date Issued: | 2008 | |
| Publisher: | Florida Atlantic University | |
| Place of Publication: | Boca Raton, Fla. | |
| Physical Form: | application/pdf | |
| Extent: | 46 p. | |
| Language(s): | English | |
| Summary: | Background: Alcohol is the substance most commonly abused in combination with cocaine. Few studies have explored the effect of alcohol on memory recovery of chronic cocaine users. Moreover, results from these studies are often contradictory. The current study compared the effects of alcohol in a sample of cocaine dependent individuals, with and without concomitant alcohol abuse, at early and late abstinence. Methods: Verbal and non-verbal memory ability was tested in 18 cocaine only (COC) and 30 dual cocaine and alcohol (CA) dependent participants at 2 weeks and around 3 months after admission to a rehabilitation facility. Verbal immediate and delay memory were assessed using the Digit Span subset of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised (WAIS-R) and the California Verbal Learning test (CVLT); non verbal immediate and delay memory were measured using the Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) and the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure test (ROCFT). Results: The cocaine participants exhibited a similar memory recovery profile in short term memory tasks independently of their history of alcohol abuse. However, significant group differences emerged in delayed memory tasks. On the ROCFT delayed memory test the CA group performed significantly worse than the COC group with significantly less improvement in scores during abstinence as well. The reduced score enhancement during abstinence in theCA group was also observed in the CVL T delayed memory variables. Conclusions: The present study suggests that the use of alcohol in combination with cocaine may have an effect on memory recovery with specific impact on long-term memory tasks. | |
| Identifier: | FA00000829 (IID) | |
| Degree granted: | Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008. | |
| Collection: | FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection | |
| Note(s): |
Includes bibliography. Charles E. Schmidt College of Science |
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| Subject(s): |
Cocaine abuse--Psychological aspects Alcoholism--Psychological aspects Substance abuse--Physiological aspects Neurobiology |
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| Held by: | Florida Atlantic University Libraries | |
| Persistent Link to This Record: | http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000829 | |
| Sublocation: | Digital Library | |
| Use and Reproduction: | Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder. | |
| Use and Reproduction: | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ | |
| Host Institution: | FAU | |
| Is Part of Series: | Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections. |
