Cognitive and Functional Deficits of Alcohol Abuse: A Review

Abstract

Due to the high prevalence of alcohol abuse and alcohol-related mortalities worldwide, it is important to investigate the impact of alcohol abuse on cognitive and functional deficits. The aim of this review is to synthesize the disparate research on cognitive and functional deficits due to alcoholism and delineate the different moderating factors that affect these deficits. The review of the literature suggests that the relationship between alcohol abuse and cognitive and functional deficits is multifaceted and is moderated by age, gender, dose, and prior treatment history. The review also indicates limitations of the cited studies and suggests multiple directions for future research.