Cognitive dysfunction in male inpatients with alcohol dependence: A comparative cross-sectional study from South India

Background: Alcohol is the most widely used psychoactive substance worldwide. More than 50% of alcohol dependent subjects can have alterations in cognitive functions. Cognitive dysfunction interferes with treatment and increases the risk of relapse in alcohol dependence; hence, its identification has potential therapeutic implications. We compared the cognitive dysfunction in alcohol dependent inpatients with controls. Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in a tertiary center in South India. The study population consisted of 76 consenting male psychiatry inpatients of the age group 18-65 years with alcohol dependence who did not have delirium, while 76 caregivers who accompanied patients to the hospital and were not dependent on alcohol were the controls. The severity of alcohol dependence in the study group was assessed using the Short Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire (SADD), and the cognitive functions of both groups were evaluated by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Results: The prevalence of cognitive impairment was higher in the study group than in controls (96.1% vs. 36.8%, p = 0.001). Conclusion: There is a significantly greater cognitive impairment in those with alcohol dependence compared to those without. Evaluating alcohol dependent patients for cognitive impairment can have important therapeutic and prognostic implications.