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Publication
Cognitive Training Effectiveness on Memory, Executive Functioning, and Processing Speed in Individuals With Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Background: Cerebral neuroplasticity is compromised due to substance abuse. There
is damage to neuronal areas that are involved in memory and executive functioning.
Treatments with worse outcomes are often associated with cognitive deficits that have
resulted from substance dependence. However, there is evidence that cognitive training
can lead to improvements in cognitive functions and can be useful when treating
addictions. This systematic review aims to synthesize evidence on the effectiveness of
cognitive training in memory, executive functioning, and processing speed in individuals
with substance use disorder (SUD).
Methods: The Joanna Briggs Institute’s PICO strategy was used to develop this
systematic literature review. Four databases were searched (PubMed, the Cochrane
Library, Web of Science, and PsycINFO) to identify controlled randomized clinical studies
and quasi-experimental studies, in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, from 1985 to 2019.
The literature found was examined by two independent reviewers, who assessed the
quality of studies that met the inclusion criteria. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for the
randomized controlled trials and the ROBINS-I tool for non-randomized studies were
used to assess the risk of bias. In data extraction, the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic
Reviews was considered.
Results: From a total of 470 studies, 319 were selected for analysis after
the elimination of duplicates. According to the inclusion criteria defined, 26
studies were eligible and evaluated. An evaluation was performed considering
the participant characteristics, countries, substance type, study and intervention
details, and key findings. Of the 26 selected studies, 14 considered only
alcoholics, six included participants with various SUD (alcohol and other
substances), three exclusively looked into methamphetamine-consuming users
and another three into opioid/methadone users. Moreover, 18 studies found
some kind of cognitive improvement, with two of these reporting only marginally
Caetano et al. Cognitive Training in Substance Use Disorders
significant effects. One study found improvements only in measures similar to the training
tasks, and two others had ambiguous results.
Conclusions: The included studies revealed the benefits of cognitive training with
regard to improving cognitive functions in individuals with SUD. Memory was the most
scrutinized cognitive function in this type of intervention, and it is also one of the areas
most affected by substance use.
Description
Keywords
Cognitive training Executive functioning Memory Processing speed Substance use disorders Systematic review
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Caetano T, Pinho MS, Ramadas E, Clara C, Areosa T and Dixe MA (2021) Cognitive Training Effectiveness on Memory, Executive Functioning, and Processing Speed in Individuals With Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review. Front. Psychol. 12:730165. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.730165
Publisher
Frontiers