[Cognitive and executive dysfunctions in cocaine dependence: a case-control study].

Introduction: In the past, various studies have related chronic cocaine use to diverse types of neuropsychological impairment. However, the majority of these studies offer partial results using batteries of tests of little ecological weight.

Aim: To investigate neuropsychological impairment (and of executive functions in particular) amongst severe chronic cocaine users, measured by means of more ecological tests and in a more global manner, taking confounding factors into account, such as age, years of schooling, gender, race, opioid dependence and alcohol consumption.

Subjects And Methods: We performed an observational study, comparing the cocaine dependence group (n = 24) with a non-cocaine use control group (n = 27).

Results: The principal results revealed significant differences in the direct and reverse digit span tests (p = 0.008 and p < 0.001 respectively), and in the Cards Test (p < 0.001). They also showed a significance result in the Zoo Map Test (p = 0.001), and in different measurements but not in all forming part of the Wisconsin test (number of correct responses and number of errors).

Conclusions: These results confirm that the chronic use of cocaine per se causes neuropsychological impairment that is manifested in classical and ecologically-valid tests. This impairment may influence patients' functionality and prognosis, and also therapeutic failure.