Comparison of Wisconsin Card Sorting Test results between Czech subjects dependent on methamphetamine versus healthy volunteers.
BACKGROUND
Methamphetamine is a neurotoxic agent. Its chronic abuse may result in cognitive impairment with negative consequences for patients' treatment and rehabilitation. The aim of the study was to compare Wisconsin Card Sorting Test profiles of Czech subjects dependent on methamphetamine with healthy individuals.


METHODS
Forty-three hospitalized Czech Caucasian patients including twenty-seven men at the average age of 25.3±5.2 years dependent on methamphetamine for 6.2±3.3 years were assessed by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. We used the same neurocognitive test for the comparison group of healthy controls with the same ethnicity (N=52, men N=28, average age of 38.7±12.1 years). We applied the Chi-Square Test, Two-Sample T Test, Mann-Whitney U Test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test to compare methamphetamine dependent patients with healthy volunteers.


RESULTS
All recorded Wisconsin Card Sorting Test parameters were significantly different in the group of methamphetamine dependent patients versus healthy volunteers (P=0.04-0.006; Mann-Whitney U Test, Two-Sample T Test). The results showed a higher error rate and a smaller achievement quality in the patients as against healthy subjects. We ascertained a significant cognitive deterioration in the patients as compared to healthy volunteers even if the average patients' achievements were in the normal range according to the test norms.


CONCLUSIONS
A cognitive impairment was present in the group of patients as compared to healthy controls. Better understanding of neurocognitive symptoms in methamphetamine dependent subjects should help to generate modern therapeutic approaches, both pharmacological and psychosocial, to prevent or attenuate the long-term negative consequences of methamphetamine use disorders.
Department of Psychiatry, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, and University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. hosak@lfhk.cuni.cz
Ladislav
L
Hosak
Marek
M
Preiss
Jan
J
Bazant
Andrea
A
Tibenska
Radka
R
Cermakova
Eva
E
Cermakova
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications; D018153:Czech Republic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008694:Methamphetamine