title: Impulse control differences between abstinent heroin users and matched controls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Heroin use has been associated with increased impulsive behaviour. This study examined the lasting effect of heroin use on impulse control in a group of ex-heroin addicts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight men, 14 ex-heroin addicts and 14 matched controls, participated in this study. The impulse control ability between the two groups was compared. Each participant was individually interviewed for demographic data and testing of their impulse control ability using the Porteus Maze Test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings indicated that the ex-heroin addicts performed significantly more poorly on the measure of impulse control than the matched controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This observation suggests that the adverse effect of heroin on impulse control may be long lasting. Alternative explanations for the findings were also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. tmclee@hkusua.hku.hk
authors.forename: Tatia M C
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Charles W H
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Pau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects; D003932:Heroin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009294:Narcotics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012919:Social Behavior; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D003932:Heroin