Background: Executive functioning is a broad term referring to the set of higher-order cognitive processes that direct complex behaviors such as response inhibition, mental set shifting, abstraction, initiation, planning, problem solving, and cognitive flexibility. Deficits in executive functioning are paramount in MS, especially in patients with SPMS and PPMS and are attributed to prefrontal lobes functioning. Various researches have shown that individual with cannabis dependence syndrome may result in impaired executive functioning such as response inhibition, problems of attention, decision-making, problem solving, abstract reasoning and set shifting.
Aim: The present study has been undertaken with the aim to assess and compare the cognitive functioning deficits between the cases with cannabis dependence syndrome and normal control subjects.
Methodology: By using purposive sampling technique, 60 subjects diagnosed according to ICD-10 DCR criteria were selected for the present study. Further among these 60 subjects, 30 subjects were of alcohol dependence syndrome and 30 subjects were in the group of cannabis dependence syndrome. Tools used were Wisconsin Card Shorting Test, Alexander Pass-along test and Comprehensive Trail Making Test.
Result and Conclusion: The Results of the present study revealed that the subjects with alcohol dependence syndrome showed cognitive deficits when compared to cannabis control subjects. Subjects with cannabis dependence syndrome exhibited decreased level of attention, poor decision-making, mental capacity performance ability, inadequate problem solving and poor set shifting. Furthermore, it was also found that the subjects with cannabis dependence syndrome took more number of trails, more perseveration, high errors and extra time in comparison to normal control subjects on Wisconsin card sorting test, Passalong test and Comprehensive Trail-making test.
Keywords
Cognitive Functioning; Problems of Attention; Decision-Making; Problem Solving Alcohol Dependence and Cannabis Dependence