Comparison of depression and suicidal ideation in patients under opioid maintenance treatments considering the cognitive flexibility

Background and aim: Cognitive flexibility is associated with psychiatric disorders. Drug addicts experience more psychiatric disorders.This study intends to examine the depression and suicidal ideation among patients under opioid maintenance treatments (OMT), taking into account the mediating role of cognitive flexibility.Materials and method: The research was a cross – sectional study done in a sample of patients who were on OMT program, and were in abstinence from opioid use for at least one year. Main data collection tools were Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation, and Beck Depression Scale. Logistic regression models were used for analysis.Results: Data of ۱۲۶ participants (۱۱۵ males and ۱۱ females), with age of ۴۵.۲±۱۳.۴ years were analyzed (۴۲ in each group of methadone, buprenorphine, and opium tincture). Correlation analysis between depression scores, suicidal ideation and cognitive flexibility showed a significant correlation between each of them above. Adjusting for the type of treatment, the cognitive flexibility increase was associated with decreasing chance of depression (OR = ۰.۸۷; ۹۵% CI:۰.۸۲, ۰.۹۲), and the use of buprenorphine (OR = ۱۵.۱) and opium tincture (OR = ۹.۳) compared to methadone were associated with depression increase. However, the results of multivariate analysis do not show an independent and significant association between cognitive flexibility and risk of suicide.Conclusion: This study focused on the comparison of depression, suicidal ideation and cognitive flexibility in addicted patients with maintenance treatments. Based on the results, addicted patients seem to benefit from cognitive training, at least in reducing their depression.

Keywords:

depression , suicide , addiction , opioid , cognitive flexibility