Memory functioning in polysubstance dependent women.
BACKGROUND
The vast majority of studies on polysubstance abuse or dependence have utilized male participants; therefore, the specific neuropsychological effects of polysubstance dependence in women are relatively unknown. The goal of the present study is to examine the effects of polysubstance dependence on women's verbal and visual memory ability.


METHODS
Data were collected from 109 women (46 controls and 63 polysubstance dependence women who were similar in ethnic identification, education, age, and verbal ability). A series of multiple regressions were run to test whether group membership significantly predicted performance on the Benton Visual Retention Test and the California Verbal Learning Test after controlling for important demographic characteristics.


RESULTS
The primary results indicated that the polysubstance dependent women had significantly poorer verbal learning ability (ranging from p<.005 to .05) than the control group, while no differences were found in visual memory ability. Further, significant bivariate relationships were observed between frequency of alcohol and cocaine use and verbal learning, delayed recall, and recognition ability.


CONCLUSIONS
The results confirm that polysubstance dependence is associated with deficient encoding of verbal information. In addition, past year frequent use of alcohol and cocaine was associated with more severe deficits in delayed recall and recognition ability among polysubstance dependent women at the bivariate level.
Medina
Krista Lisdahl
KL
University of California San Diego, Department of Psychiatry, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive (151B), San Diego, CA 92161, United States. klmedina@ucsd.edu
Shear
Paula K
PK
Schafer
John
J
D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014706:Verbal Learning