The Application of Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy for Amphetamine-type Stimulants Addiction

The Application of Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy for Amphetamine-type Stimulants Addiction

The computerized cognitive rehabilitation therapy will be used to treat amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS) addiction.

The deficits in executive functions related to prefrontal-striatal circuits play a vital role in ATS addiction and relapse, and proposed computerized cognitive rehabilitation therapy as the novel interventions. Focused on evaluating and training executive functions including working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and congitive bias concerning prefrontal-striatal circuits, neuropsychological tests, electroencephalography tests, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and functional MRI will be used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of ATS addiction treatment as well as investigate the mechanisms. The study will be very helpful to develop novel interventions in clinical practice and decrease ATS-related harm for both the patients and their families.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. diagnosed MA dependence in accordance with the fourth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) (Association, 2000);
2. more than 9 years of education;
3. aged of 18-60 years old;
4. normal vision, audition and no color blindness;
5. receive no detoxification medications during treatment and
6. right handedness.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. current medical diseases that required hospitalization or regular monitoring;
2. serious physical or neurological illness that required pharmacological treatment affecting cognitive function;
3. history of major psychiatric disorder such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression and disorders of high comorbidity with substance abuse/dependence;
4. neurological diseases such as stroke, seizure, migraine, head trauma
5. substance dependence other than nicotine, within the past 5 years;
6. intelligence quotient (IQ) <70.