EPA-0379 – Cognitive Dysfunctions in Persons From Different Ethnicity with Alcohol Dependence

Abstract

Background:

Regarding investigations having ethno-cultural character drawing methods are more preferential because a drawing is a universal medium of communication. Peculiarities of cognitive dysfunctions in persons with alcohol dependence are mirrored regarding decline of memory, and namely regarding decrease of productivity of mediated remembering.

Material and methods:

Clinical and experimental examination was made in 134 alcoholic patients, from whom 70 persons of Tuvinian nationality and 64 persons of Russian nationality, permanently living in Republic of Tyva. For study of peculiarities of attitude toward the illness and intellectual safety of patients we used method of pictogram.

Results:

Values of index of reproduction of methods of pictograms, characterizing productivity of mediated remembering in groups of Tuvinians and Russians are low than normative what is associated with cognitive disturbances accompanying alcohol dependence. Level of intellectual safety of persons with alcohol dependence in whose image of pictogram there are alcohol subjects, is characterized reliably by more substantial disturbances of operational side of thinking, decrease of logical appropriateness of associative links (p=0,017) and increase of number of inappropriate associations (p=0,002); decrease of originality of associations (p=0,0004); increase of’confabulative’ associations (p=0,015). Peculiarities of cognitive dysfunctions of alcoholic patients of Tuvinian nationality in whose pictographic images there is alcohol subjects consist of major severity of perseverative tendencies manifested in repetition of one and the same drawing for two or more notions (p=0,042), as compared with ethnic Russians.

Conclusions:

We have revealed specifics of cognitive sphere of Tuvinians characterized by presence of culture-specific associative patterns.