Cognitive performance by humans during a smoked cocaine binge-abstinence cycle.
Five cocaine-dependent individuals completed a 22-day inpatient study of sleep and cognition. Following 3 days of drug-free baseline, participants underwent 3 days of twice-daily smoked cocaine base self-administration (6 50-mg doses, 14 minutes apart), followed by 15 days of abstinence. Each morning and afternoon, the CDR repeatable, multiple-version, computerized cognitive battery (whose stability following practice has been documented) was administered. During abstinence, performance deteriorated on vigilance tasks (especially reaction time) as well as on immediate and delayed verbal recognition tasks but not on working memory tasks. Declines were most evident in the afternoon. Data suggest that abstinence can unmask cognitive deficits induced by chronic cocaine use and circadian factors may mediate their severity.
Pace-Schott
Edward F
EF
Center for Sleep and Cognition, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. epacesch@bidmc.harvard.edu
Stickgold
Robert
R
Muzur
Amir
A
Wigren
Pia E
PE
Ward
Amie S
AS
Hart
Carl L
CL
Walker
Matthew
M
Edgar
Chris
C
Hobson
J Allan
JA
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time; D012907:Smoking; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*