title: Antisocial symptoms decrease to normal levels in long-term abstinence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We have previously shown highly elevated antisocial symptoms and measures of social deviance proneness and antisocial disposition in long-term abstinent alcohol dependence versus non-substance-abusing controls (NSAC). Current antisocial symptoms were reduced to subdiagnostic levels in long-term abstinence; however, the number of current symptoms was not measured beyond its being subdiagnostic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here we measured social deviance proneness, antisocial disposition, and both lifetime and current antisocial symptoms in short-term and long-term abstinent substance-dependent and NSAC samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lifetime antisocial symptoms (and diagnoses) and social deviance proneness and antisocial disposition were highly elevated in both short- and long-term abstinence, replicating earlier findings. Current antisocial symptoms were dramatically reduced in long-term versus short-term abstinent samples, close to levels in controls. In contrast, social deviance proneness and antisocial disposition remain highly elevated in long-term abstinence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that antisocial behavior is reduced in extended abstinence, despite continued elevated social deviance proneness an antisocial disposition. This suggests a top-down model in extended abstinence, whereby executive control inhibits deviance-prone tendencies.
authors: Neurobehavioral Research, Inc, Honolulu, Hawaii 96814, USA. george@nbresearch.com
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Fein
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Fein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012919:Social Behavior; D013695:Temperance / Q000523:psychology* / Q000639:trends*; D013997:Time Factors