Visoconstruction and visual memory in young people with methamphetamine dependence

Abstract

Introduction: methamphetamine dependence has been linked to a series of neuropsychological alterations.

Objective: the present work had the purpose of exploring the viso-constructive ability and visual memory in young men with methamphetamine dependence disorder.

Method: convenience sample of fifteen people. All the participants were interned in a detoxification clinic; after an interview, the Complex Rey Figure (CRF), was applied from in its execution to the copy and to the memory.

Results: the viso-construction to the copy was found to be preserved (although three participants showed poor execution). On the other hand, visual memory deficiencies were observed in 14 of the 15 participants. Comparisons with normative parameters place the mean obtained by methamphetamine-dependent youths in reproduction to memory of the clinically significant CRF. The effect size (d) was calculated finding a medium effect on copying and a small effect on memory. In addition, in a qualitative analysis, it was observed that the majority of the participants made reproductions considered immature or less rational with respect to what was expected based on age.

Discussion and conclusions: young methamphetamine dependent have a risk of deficits in episodic memory and executive alterations, specifically in organization and planning, functions suggested to be study afterwards.