Relations Between Cognitive Abilities, Drinking Characteristics, and Emotional Recognition in Alcohol Dependence: A Preliminary Exploration.

BACKGROUND

Alcohol dependence is characterized by wide-ranging cognitive impairments, but also by emotional facial expressions (EFEs) recognition deficits. Although they play a crucial role both in the development and in the maintenance of the disease, cognitive and emotional disorders have up to now been mostly explored separately. As a result, not much is known regarding their interactions. This study thus aims at exploring the relations between cognition and emotion in alcohol dependence, and more specifically between cognitive performance, drinking characteristics, and EFE recognition.

METHODS

About 26 recently detoxified alcohol-dependent individuals and 26 matched controls were tested for cognitive abilities (by means of a standardized neuropsychological battery) and for EFE recognition.

RESULTS

Alcohol-dependent individuals simultaneously presented altered performances for executive abilities and EFE recognition (particularly for disgust recognition). Moreover, a regression analysis showed that EFE performance was centrally related to episodic memory and cognitive flexibility.

CONCLUSIONS

These results clarify the relations between EFE recognition, cognitive abilities, and drinking characteristics in alcohol dependence and clearly suggest that cognitive factors should be taken into account in future studies exploring emotional processes in alcohol dependence. Specific cognitive programs should be developed to rehabilitate cognitive and emotional abilities simultaneously.