Subclinical neurological and neurovascular deficits in cocaine dependence. Gender and psychosocial considerations.
Neurological and neurovascular deficits were reported in cocaine abusers. In order to examine the contribution of cocaine use severity as well as other psychosocial factors to these deficits, we examined the following measures in a sample of cocaine abusers (n = 70): blood flow (transcranial Doppler sonography), and psychosocial measures (the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire, the Symptom Check List 90R, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Ellison Wellness Scale). Blood flow in the anterior and medial cerebral arteries was lower in the cocaine abusers than in the control subjects. Both cocaine use and psychosocial measures significantly predicted decreases in blood flow.
King
D E
DE
Molecular Neuropsychiatry Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA.
Herning
R I
RI
Cadet
J L
JL
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003042:Cocaine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011674:Pulse; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012944:Social Support; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial
D003042:Cocaine