Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/59075
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dc.contributor.authorSant, Kristian-
dc.contributor.authorCamilleri, Aloisia-
dc.contributor.authorDimech, Anthony-
dc.date.accessioned2020-07-27T10:09:09Z-
dc.date.available2020-07-27T10:09:09Z-
dc.date.issued2020-07-
dc.identifier.citationSant, K., Camilleri, A., & Dimech, A. (2020). Beyond the stigma of methadone maintenance treatment : neurocognitive recovery in individuals with opiate use disorders. Malta Medical Journal, 32(1), 63-76.en_GB
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/59075-
dc.description.abstractBackground: Studies of cognitive functioning in drug addiction have shown consistent impairments among substance dependent populations. Several attempts to highlight the neurocognitive recovery of former opioid dependent individuals who are stabilised on methadone, have resulted in contradictory conclusions. The aim of this study is to compare the cognitive function of recovering opioid dependent individuals on methadone maintenance treatment to those who are not on methadone treatment, relative to healthy controls. -- Methods: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment Tool was administered to three groups of participants: 22 former opioid dependents receiving methadone maintenance treatment, 21 former opioid dependents withdrawn from all opiates and 22 healthy controls without a history of illicit substance dependence. The specific cognitive domains tested include executive function, visuospatial skills, naming, attention, language, abstraction, delayed recall and orientation. -- Results: Visuospatial skills and executive function were significantly improved with methadone. The language domain appears to be significantly impaired in both opioid dependent groups with a strong negative correlation to the duration of dependency. Participants who had stopped methadone were significantly impaired in all other aspects of cognition tested apart from naming and orientation when compared to healthy controls. Participants on methadone did not significantly differ in the other areas of cognition when compared to controls. -- Conclusions: Methadone treatment appears to be associated with an improvement in cognitive function in opioid dependent individuals. Thus, methadone may facilitate public health by ensuring compliance of opioid dependent individuals to their treatment plan with fewer relapse rates and mitigation of risky behaviours.en_GB
dc.language.isoenen_GB
dc.publisherUniversity of Malta. Medical Schoolen_GB
dc.rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessen_GB
dc.subjectMethadone maintenanceen_GB
dc.subjectOpioid abuse -- Treatmenten_GB
dc.subjectDrug addicts -- Rehabilitationen_GB
dc.titleBeyond the stigma of methadone maintenance treatment : neurocognitive recovery in individuals with opiate use disordersen_GB
dc.typearticleen_GB
dc.rights.holderThe copyright of this work belongs to the author(s)/publisher. The rights of this work are as defined by the appropriate Copyright Legislation or as modified by any successive legislation. Users may access this work and can make use of the information contained in accordance with the Copyright Legislation provided that the author must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the prior permission of the copyright holder.en_GB
dc.description.reviewedpeer-revieweden_GB
dc.publication.titleMalta Medical Journalen_GB
Appears in Collections:MMJ, Volume 32, Issue 1
MMJ, Volume 32, Issue 1
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