title: [Cognitive effects of opioids].
abstract: This article discusses the potentially deleterious influence of opioids on cognitive functioning in chronic pain patients. Under stable doses of opioids, cognitive performances in patients are not inferior to those observed in healthy controls. During initialisation and/or adaptation of opioid treatment, a transient inferiority of cognitive performances is observed in chronic pain patients. Studies on combined effects of opioids and psychotropics on cognition are scarce. It is emphasized that cognitive dysfunction in chronic pain patients might be due to the attentional cost due to daily pain. Pain reduction by opioids may diminish this cost. Recommendations for driving under opioids are proposed.
authors.affiliation: Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Centre de référence multidisciplinaire de la douleur chronique, Bruxelles. Jacques.Grisart@uclouvain.be
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grisart
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid