The Characteristic Of Executive Function In Adolescent Methamphetamine Dependence

ObjectiveMethamphetamine abuse has become a serious social problem and public health problem. According to the theory of Miyake, executive function include inhibition, conversion and updating. The study is to explor whether the three components of MA dependence have damage compared with control group. Besides, we analyze the relationship between biological factors, mental behavior factors and executive function. The purpose of this study is to provide certain theoretical and practical basis for adolescent addiction.Materials and MethodsSelection 71 MA teenagers in Chengdu forced isolation as the experimental group. Selection 71 healthy person as control group. All subjects should meet with the standard set. Using questionnaire of general information collection drug time, drug-using time and other basic information. Using complete sets of cognitive execution function test to test theirs execution function. These tests include Stroop test, WCST, Digital conversion task, N-back test and Tower of Hanoi test. Besides, we use ELISA to measure dopamine and serotonin levels in the blood of MA dependents. We also analysis the correlation between dopamine, hydroxyptamine, abstinent time, drug-using time and executive function. All the results are conducted using statistical software package SPSS19.0, mainly includes the T test, F test and partial correlation analysis, etc.ResultsThere are statistical differences between MA teenagers and control group in execution function including Stroop test(t1=-3.255, t2=2.005, P<0.05), WCST(t1=5.79, t2=4.892, P<0.01), Digital conversion task(t1=-2.869, t2=2.180, t3=-4.380, t4=1.224, t5=-3.077, t7=-4.994, t8=2.570, P<0.05), N-back test(t1=-2.169, t3=-3.345, P<0.05)and Tower of Hanoi test(t1=2.564, P<0.05).There are significant positive correlation between Separate size correct response number, Single parity reaction number correctly, Mixed size correct response number, Mixed parity reaction number correctly and dopamine(r=0.485, 0.482, 0.536, 0.419,P<0.01). However, we have not found the significant correlation between serotonin and execution function(r=-0.220~-0.024 or r=0.006~0.257, P>0.05). At the same time, there are no significant correlation between inhibition, conversion, updating and abstinent time(r=-0.122~-0.022 or r=0.005~0.185,P>0.05). There are significant positive correlation between conversion, updating and drug-using(r=0.251, 0.351, 0.246,-0.316, P<0.05).ConclusionCompared with healthy adolescents, MA teenagers, inhibition, conversion and updating are seriously damaged.The damage of executive function have a close relationship between dopamine(P<0.05). This study have not found the relationship between inhibition, conversion, updating and drug-using(P>0.05). However, we find that the longer of drug-using, the stronger conversion and updating(P<0.05).