Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27712350›Full record

SynthesisThe American journal of drug and alcohol abuse2017

Meta-analyses of clinical neuropsychological tests of executive dysfunction and impulsivity in alcohol use disorder.

Rick A Stephan, Omar M Alhassoon, Kenneth E Allen, Scott C Wollman, Matt Hall, William J Thomas, Julia M Gamboa, Chrissy Kimmel, Mark Stern, Celina Sari and 3 more

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 72 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
72citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
6.4field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

72 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 131 citations in OpenAlex.

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  12. Attentional Bias During a Novel Alcohol Cue Virtual Reality Paradigm.Alcohol, clinical & experimental research · 2026
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  14. Observational
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  16. Alcohol use andAlzheimer's & dementia. Behavior & socioeconomics of aging · 2026
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12 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Rick A Stephana Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology , San Diego , CA , USA.
Omar M Alhassoona Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology , San Diego , CA , USA.
Kenneth E Allena Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology , San Diego , CA , USA.
Scott C Wollmana Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology , San Diego , CA , USA.
Matt Halla Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology , San Diego , CA , USA.
William J Thomasa Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology , San Diego , CA , USA.
Julia M Gamboaa Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology , San Diego , CA , USA.
Chrissy Kimmela Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology , San Diego , CA , USA.
Mark Sterna Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology , San Diego , CA , USA.
Celina Saria Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology , San Diego , CA , USA.
Constance J Dalenberga Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology , San Diego , CA , USA.
Scott F Sorgb University of California San Diego , La Jolla , CA , USA.
Igor Grantb University of California San Diego , La Jolla , CA , USA.
Alliant International University · USUniversity of California, San Diego · USVA San Diego Healthcare System · US

Funding

Wellcome Trust 110049
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPromising models for cognitive rehabilitation in alcohol treatment rest on a more nuanced understanding of the associated impairments in the multifaceted domains of executive functioning (EF) and impulsivity.

objectivesThis meta-analysis examined the effects of alcohol on the individual subcomponents of EF and impulsivity in recently detoxified participants, including 1) Inhibition & Self-Regulation, 2) Flexibility & Set Shifting, 3) Planning & Problem Solving, 4) Reasoning & Abstraction, and 5) Verbal Fluency. Impulsivity was further examined through an analysis of motor, cognitive, and decisional subcategories.

methodInvestigators searched, coded, and calculated effect sizes of impairments demonstrated in a broad range of neuropsychological tests for EF. A total of 77 studies were selected covering 48 years of research with a sample size of 5140.

resultsFindings ranged from a Hedges' g effect size of 0.803 for Inhibition to a Hedges' g of 0.359 for Verbal Fluency. Results also varied for the individual subcategories of Inhibition, including a large effect size for decisional impulsivity (g = 0.817) and cognitive impulsivity (0.860), and a moderate effect size for motor impulsivity (g = 0.529). The Hayling Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and Iowa Gambling Task were the measures most sensitive for alcohol effects.

conclusionPlanning, problem solving, and inhibitory abilities are significantly affected by alcohol abuse, with decisional and cognitive forms of impulsivity most impacted. Cognitive remediation targeting these deficits might increase the related functions that mediate the ability to moderate or abstain from alcohol, and so lead to improved treatment results.

Indexed as

Executive FunctionImpulsive BehaviorAdultAlcohol-Related DisordersFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeuropsychological Testsabstractionalcohol use disorderclinical neuropsychologyexecutive functionimpulsivityinhibitionMeta-analysisplanningproblem solvingself-regulationset-shifting

Identifiers

PMID27712350
PMCPMC6462408
OpenAlexW2513173335

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.