Reduced attentional scope in cocaine polydrug users.
Cocaine is Europe's second preferred recreational drug after cannabis but very little is known about possible cognitive impairments in the upcoming type of recreational cocaine user (monthly consumption). We asked whether recreational use of cocaine impacts early attentional selection processes. Cocaine-free polydrug controls (n = 18) and cocaine polydrug users (n = 18) were matched on sex, age, alcohol consumption, and IQ (using the Raven's progressive matrices), and were tested by using the Global-Local task to measure the scope of attention. Cocaine polydrug users attended significantly more to local aspects of attended events, which fits with the idea that a reduced scope of attention may be associated with the perpetuation of the use of the drug.
Colzato
Lorenza S
LS
Institute for Psychological Research & Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands. colzato@fsw.leidenuniv.nl
van den Wildenberg
Wery P M
WP
Hommel
Bernhard
B
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003042:Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*
D013287:Illicit Drugs; D003042:Cocaine