Peng-Wei Wang1, Huang-Chi Lin1, Hung-Chi Wu2, Chih-Yao Hsu2, Kuan-Sheng Chung2, Chih-Hung Ko3, Cheng-Fang Yen4. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 2. Departments of Addiction Science, Kai-Suan Psychiatric Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 3. Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: chfaye@cc.kmu.edu.tw.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Craving is an important issue in substance use disorder. To achieve a better understanding of the cognitive processing systems of craving, the cognitive processes of craving have been considered as two distinct processes. One system, based on rule-based inferences and named explicit cognition, is more conscious and effortful. The other system, based on prior learned association and named implicit cognition, is unconscious and effortless. How explicit and implicit cognitions are associated with heroin use in patients with methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) is not clear. This study aimed to explore the relationship between explicit and implicit cognition and heroin use in patients undergoing MMT. METHOD: This study recruited one-hundred forty intravenous heroin users. The participants were invited to provide social-demographic data, the severity of substance dependence and explicit cognition with regard to heroin. Then, participants completed a computerized test to assess implicit cognition with regards to heroin. RESULTS: This study found that explicit and implicit heroin-related cognitions were associated with the frequency of heroin use. There was an interaction effect between implicit and explicit cognition on the frequency of heroin use. This study also found that higher explicit heroin-related cognition was a risk factor for continuing heroin use. CONCLUSION: Both explicit and implicit cognitions were associated with the frequency of heroin use in patients undergoing MMT, but only explicit cognition was associated with whether patients could stop using heroin during MMT. Therefore, the status of heroin use in patients undergoing MMT may be related to different cognitive processes.
BACKGROUND: Craving is an important issue in substance use disorder. To achieve a better understanding of the cognitive processing systems of craving, the cognitive processes of craving have been considered as two distinct processes. One system, based on rule-based inferences and named explicit cognition, is more conscious and effortful. The other system, based on prior learned association and named implicit cognition, is unconscious and effortless. How explicit and implicit cognitions are associated with heroin use in patients with methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) is not clear. This study aimed to explore the relationship between explicit and implicit cognition and heroin use in patients undergoing MMT. METHOD: This study recruited one-hundred forty intravenous heroin users. The participants were invited to provide social-demographic data, the severity of substance dependence and explicit cognition with regard to heroin. Then, participants completed a computerized test to assess implicit cognition with regards to heroin. RESULTS: This study found that explicit and implicit heroin-related cognitions were associated with the frequency of heroin use. There was an interaction effect between implicit and explicit cognition on the frequency of heroin use. This study also found that higher explicit heroin-related cognition was a risk factor for continuing heroin use. CONCLUSION: Both explicit and implicit cognitions were associated with the frequency of heroin use in patients undergoing MMT, but only explicit cognition was associated with whether patients could stop using heroin during MMT. Therefore, the status of heroin use in patients undergoing MMT may be related to different cognitive processes.
Authors: Laura C Palombi; Joe Vargo; Laura Bennett; Jared Hendler; Paul Coughlin; Greta Winter; Amy LaRue Journal: J Rural Health Date: 2016-03-25 Impact factor: 4.333