title: [Alcohol induced cognitive deficits].
abstract: Previous studies could show a complex relationship between alcohol consumption and cognition but also with processes of ageing both social and biological. Acute effects of alcohol during intoxication include clinical signs such as excitation and reduced inhibition, slurred speech, and increased reaction time but also cognitive dysfunction, especially deficits in memory functions. However, these cognitive deficits during alcohol intoxication are reversible while patients with alcohol addiction and chronic alcohol intake show severe impairments of cognitive functions especially deficits in executive functions. Frontal executive impairments in these patients include deficits in problem solving, abstraction, planning, organizing, and working memory.Additionally, gender specific deficits are relevant for the course of the disease and its concomitant health problems with female alcoholics showing a higher vulnerability for cognitive dysfunction and brain atrophy at earlier stages of alcoholism history.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Psychologie, Karl Franzens Universität Graz, Graz, Österreich.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Evelin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Singewald
authors.forename: Beatrix
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ruepp
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marksteiner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000425:Alcohol Amnestic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013065:Speech Intelligibility
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol