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Decision-making ability in current and past users of opiates : A meta-analysis
Biernacki, Kathryn McLennan, Skye N. Terrett, Gill Rendell, Peter G.
Biernacki, Kathryn
McLennan, Skye N.
Terrett, Gill
Rendell, Peter G.
Abstract
Opiate use is associated with deficits in decision-making. However, the impact of abstinence and co-morbid factors, like head injury and poly-substance abuse, on this ability, is currently unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to assess 1) the magnitude of decision-making deficits in opiate users; 2) whether co-morbid factors moderate the severity of these deficits; 3) whether ex-opiate users demonstrate smaller decision-making deficits than current users; and 4) whether the length of abstinence is related to the magnitude of decision-making deficits. We analysed 22 studies that compared the performance of current and ex-opiate users to healthy controls on decision-making measures such as the Iowa Gambling Task. Current users demonstrated a moderately strong impairment in decision-making relative to controls, which was not significantly moderated by co-morbid factors. The magnitude of the impairment did not significantly differ between studies assessing current or ex-users, and this impairment was not related to length of abstinence. Thus, it appears that opiate users have relatively severe decision-making deficits that persist at least 1.5 years after cessation of use.
Keywords
decision-making, cognition, impulsivity, opiate, heroin, abstinent, addiction
Date
2016
Type
Journal article
Journal
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
Book
Volume
71
Issue
Page Range
342-351
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as green open access
License
File Access
Controlled
Open
Open