금주중인 알코올 의존 환자의 인지기능 회복에 관한 연구

A Study on Recovery from Cognitive Deficits in the Abstinent Patients with Alcohol Dependence

Objectives：This study was performed to evaluate the cognitive deficit in alcoholic patients and the cognitive improvement during the course of abstinence. Subjects and Method： Subjects participated in the study were 32 alcoholic patients and 35 normal control group. Their alcoholic history and demographic data were taken and they were tested on cognitive assessment consists of Digit span, Paired association learning test, Digit symbol substitution test, Trail making B test, ReyOsterrith complex figure test. Patients were tested in 3 weeks and 6 months later. Results：In summary, the results of this study were as follows：1) In the comparison between alcohol group (3 weeks after abstinence) and normal control group, normal control group was superior to patient group in almost all the test except for first Paired association learning test. 2) In the comparison between serial cognitive follow-up test in alcohol group, there was significant cognitive improvement in almost all the test except for second Paired association learning test. 3) In the comparison between alcohol group (6 months after abstinence) and normal control group, there was no significant difference except for Trail making B test. 4) There was no significant correlation between cognitive function change and alcohol related factor. Conclusion：The results suggest that the cognitive deficit in alcoholic patients and cognitive improvement during the course of abstinence. Significant recovery of cognitive function can occur but may be contingent on the factors such as age and continued abstinence. On the other hand, when we consider the limitation of this study, more precise and standard test method and more longer follow up duration may be required.