Shahrzad Mazhari - Associate Professor, Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmachology AND ‎Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, ‎Kerman, Iran
Zeinab Keshvari - ‎Resident, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical ‎Sciences, Kerman, Iran‎
Abdolreza Sabahi - ‎Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Kerman University of ‎Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Shirin Mottaghian - ‎General Practitioner, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, ‎Iran

Background: Methadone maintenance has received little scientific attention regarding neurocognitive effects. This study is aimed to assess the neuropsychological performance of methadone maintenance patients (MMP) compared to those healthy controls. Methods: Thirty-five MMP and ۳۵ healthy controls, matched for age, gender, education and employment status, examined on a battery of tests aimed at assessing verbal fluency, executive functions, verbal memory, and working memory, using controlled oral word association test (COWAT), trial making test (TMT) Part A and B, Rey auditory verbal learning test (RAVLT), and backward digit span. Findings: MMP performed significantly poorly than controls in cognitive domains of verbal fluency, executive function, and verbal memory. MMP did not exhibit impairment in working memory, and TMT Part A compared to controls. Conclusion: These results suggest that methadone consumption induces significant cognitive impairment that could compromise drug-treatment outcomes in MMP.

Methadone maintenance, opiates, Cognitive dysfunction