Frontal symptoms, self-perceived stress, and subjective memory complaints in substance abusers

Introduction. Substance addiction is a public health problem considering that every day increases the number of individuals with problem drug use, in this sense it is interesting the study of neuropsychological variables to understand the nature of addiction, understanding that brain circuits are involved in the establishment, maintenance and rehabilitation of the same. Aims. To determine the influence of addiction on the frontal symptoms, self-perceived stress and subjective memory complaints, secondly, to analyze how these variables relate to people with addictions and finally, establish differences in them between addicts with and without subjective memory complaints. Subjects and methods. ISP, EEP-14 and MFE-30 instruments were applied to a sample of 115 substance abusers, and 115 people from non-clinical population, matched for age, sex and educational level. Results. Significant differences are evident between addicted to substances and non-clinical subjects in the emotional scale ISP and MFE-30, also in the clinical sample highly significant correlations between all scales are observed; Finally, among people with addictions who reported memory complaints and those who do not, significant differences are evident on all scales except for the self-perceived stress. Conclusions. It is considered necessary to take into account the levels of self-perceived stress, frontal symptoms and subjective memory complaints in substance abusers, because the executive, attentional and mnemonic problems may affect several variables in the process of treatment and rehabilitation.