Neuropsychology and Addiction

The term ‘addiction' comes from the Latin verb addicere, which means ‘to enslave.' It is defined by a perceived lack of control or autonomy over one's behavior. Indeed, addicts' continued abuse of drugs despite apparent awareness of detrimental consequences shows that addictive behavior may be characterized by impairments in inhibitory control, decision-making, and affect regulation. Recent neuroimaging studies in a range of substance-abusing populations have linked deficits in frontal cortical networks. The domains of attention, short-term memory, visuospatial abilities, postural stability, and executive functions (such as problem-solving, mental flexibility, judgement, working memory, response inhibition, and decision-making) show the most consistent findings of neuropsychological impairment in heavy and long-term drinkers, with declarative memory, language skills, and declarative memory being relatively spared. It's uncertain whether there's a link between lifetime exposure and the development of cognitive issues.