Measuring the effect of the duration of problem drinking on cognitive functions in alcoholics.

Although research has been conducted to determine the effects of the duration of problem drinking on cognitive functioning, the findings are inconclusive. The duration of problem drinking does not seem to be in a linear relation to the cognitive functions of alcoholics. This study tested the hypothesis according to which the duration of problem drinking is connected with cognitive functioning only at the beginning of abstinence, when withdrawal symptoms are present and when the spontaneous recovery of cognitive functions has hardly started. Once the withdrawal symptoms have gone, between-subjects variation in spontaneous recovery probably hides the effect of the duration of problem drinking. A total of 179 Finnish male alcoholics took part in the study. Randomly assigned to three groups, the subjects were tested during the first, second or fourth week of abstinence. The hypothesis was supported by the data.