Effects of Drug of Choice on Memory and Cognition

Throughout the literature, it has been shown that drugs and alcohol affect brain. The brain regions and neural processes that underlie addiction overlap with processes and functions including learning, memory, and reasoning (NIH). Due to the chemical make up of drugs and alcohol, they produce drug-specific reactions in the brain and body. It has been shown that opioids produce deficits in cognitive flexibility and alcohol produces deficits in working memory and attention (Addiction and Cognition). Exactly how much does an individual’s drug of choice impact memory and cognition differently during detox? We recruited participants at Oriana Detox Center voluntarily seeking detoxification from substance dependence. Throughout the study participants filled out several questionnaires regarding substance use behaviors and completed a cognitive assessment. The aim of this study is to investigate the impacts of different drugs on cognition at the early stages of sobriety. During detoxification the brain has to learn how to function with out substance abuse once again. Alcohol has proven to have more alcohol-related brain damage (NIH). We hypothesize both opioids and alcohol will have negative effects on cognition and memory, but alcohols effects will be significantly more damaging. At this point, data collection is ongoing and results will be provided at the poster presentation.