research on addiction

Objective: Methadone maintenance treatment is one of the most common methods of substance abuse treatment. There is conflicting evidence of the effect of methadone on behavior and cognition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of methadone maintenance treatment on executive functions. Method: A quasi-experimental research design along with pretest and posttest stages was used for the conduct of this study. A variety of neurological tests, such as Stroop Test, Wisconsin Test, Continuous Performance Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Digit Span Test, and Go/No-Go Test were used to evaluate executive functions. Results: The results showed that methadone maintenance treatment did not lead to a significant difference in Wisconsin test, Continuous Performance Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Digit Span Test, and Go/No-Go Test (P>.05). However, it brought about a significant difference in the indexes of Stroop test (P<.05). Discussion and Conclusion: Although methadone treatment does not lead to the improvement of cognitive functions, it exerts no detrimental effect on cognitive functions, as well. Methadone treatment can be used when it is not aimed to improve substance users’ cognitive functions.