Cognitive Impairment in Tramadol & Synthetic Cannabinoids Use Disorder Patients

Abstract

ddiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Meanwhile, without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disabilities as cognitive impairment. Based on that, this study was conducted at Institute of psychiatry, Ain shams university hospital, Cairo, Egypt, aiming to study cognitive affection among tramadol and synthetic cannabinoids users. Thirty (60) patients were included in this study (30 of them were tramadol users and the other 30, were SC users) and compared with 30 healthy control matched for age and sex. Their age ranges between 18-45 years. The study took place from October 2018 till August 2019. All subjects of the study were assessed by using: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I (SCID I): to diagnose any psychiatric disorder; Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II (SCID II): to diagnose personality disorders; Addiction severity index (ASI): to assess the severity of addiction; trail making test A&B: for assessment of attention and processing speed; Benton visual retention test (BVRT): for assessment of visual memory, visual reconstruction ability and processing and delayed memory;