title: Assessment of frontal brain functions in alcoholics following a health mobile cognitive stimulation approach.
abstract: The consequences of alcohol dependence syndrome are severe, ranging from physical diseases to neuropsychological deficits in several cognitive domains. Alcohol abuse has also been related to brain dysfunction specifically in the prefrontal cortex. We assessed these deficits and the effects of traditional (pen-and-paper) and novel (mobile technology) approaches to cognitive stimulation of alcoholics in a neuropsychological intervention program. Thirty alcoholics in treatment of alcohol dependence syndrome were assessed during four weeks on a three-day/week basis. The results showed an overall increase in frontal lobe function between the first and the final assessment, being more pronounced in alcoholics who were assigned to a treatment group with mobile technologies than to those assigned to a paper-and-pencil treatment and to a control group. These results support the use of ecologically sound and available approaches of neuropsychological stimulation to treat executive dysfunction in patients with alcohol dependence syndrome.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Lusophone University of Humanities and Technologies (ULHT), Campo Grande, 376, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gamito
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Diogo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morais
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Tomaz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saraiva
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bastos
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cristóvão
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caçôete
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Picareli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D063367:Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult