Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34689841›Full record

ArticleAddiction science & clinical practice2021

Neurocognitive, psychiatric, and substance use characteristics in a diverse sample of persons with OUD who are starting methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone in opioid treatment programs.

Travis M Scott, Julia Arnsten, James Patrick Olsen, Franchesca Arias, Chinazo O Cunningham, Monica Rivera Mindt

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Addiction science & clinical practice, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT01733693 (Neurocognitive Effects of Opiate Agonist Treatment), which is not on this map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 16% 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.

NCT01733693 phase4completednot on this map

Neurocognitive Effects of Opiate Agonist Treatment

TypeinterventionalSponsorAlbert Einstein College of MedicineRan2013 to 2017Enrolled135ConditionsOpioid-Related Disorders, HIV, HIV InfectionsArmsBuprenorphine, Methadone
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Spontaneous daily sleep disruptions associated with morphine dependence and withdrawal in rats.The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics · 2025
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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

6 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Travis M ScottVA Palo Alto Health Care System Sierra Pacific Mental Illness Research Education Clinical Center, 3801 Miranda Ave, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA. tshivleyscott@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0002-2089-4967
Julia ArnstenDepartment of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
James Patrick OlsenDepartment of Neurology, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY, USA.
Franchesca AriasThe Aging Brain Center, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA.
Chinazo O CunninghamDepartment of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
Monica Rivera MindtDepartment of Psychology and Latin America and Latino Studies Institute, Fordham University, New York, NY, USA.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine · USBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · USFordham University · USNorth Shore University Hospital · USVA Palo Alto Health Care System · US

Funding

Neurocognitive Effects of Opiate Agonist Treatment in HIV Infected Drug UsersR01DA032552 · NIDA · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, INC · PI ARNSTEN, JULIA H., RIVERA-MINDT, MONICA G. · 2012 to 2016
$3.3M
NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA032552NIDA NIH HHS R01DA032552
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMedications for opioid use disorder such as opioid agonist treatment (OAT, including methadone, buprenorphine) are the gold standard intervention for opioid use disorder (OUD). Persons with OUD have high rates of neurocognitive impairment and psychiatric and substance use disorders, but few studies have examined these characteristics in diverse patients initiating OAT in opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Additionally, in these individuals, poor neurocognitive functioning and psychiatric/other substance use disorders are associated with poor OUD treatment outcomes. Given rapid changes in the opioid epidemic, we sought to replicate findings from our pilot study by examining these characteristics in a large diverse sample of persons with OUD starting OTP-based OAT.

methodsNinety-seven adults with OUD (M age = 42.2 years [SD = 10.3]; M education = 11.4 years [SD = 2.3]; 27% female; 22% non-Hispanic white) were enrolled in a randomized longitudinal trial evaluating methadone versus buprenorphine/naloxone on neurocognitive functioning. All participants completed a comprehensive neurocognitive, psychiatric, and substance use evaluation within one week of initiating OAT.

resultsMost of the sample met criteria for learning (79%) or memory (69%) impairment. Half exhibited symptoms of current depression, and comorbid substance use was highly prevalent. Lifetime cannabis and cocaine use disorders were associated with better neurocognitive functioning, while depression was associated with worse neurocognitive functioning.

conclusionsLearning and memory impairment are highly prevalent in persons with OUD starting treatment with either methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone in OTPs. Depression and comorbid substance use are prevalent among these individuals, but neither impact learning or memory. However, depression is associated with neurocognitive impairment in other domains. These findings might allow clinicians to help persons with OUD starting OAT to develop compensatory strategies for learning and memory, while providing adjunctive treatment for depression. Trial Registration NCT, NCT01733693. Registered November 4, 2012, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01733693 .

Indexed as

Buprenorphine, Naloxone Drug CombinationMethadoneOpioid-Related DisordersAdultAnalgesics, OpioidFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedOpiate Substitution TreatmentPilot ProjectsAnalgesics, OpioidBuprenorphine, Naloxone Drug CombinationMethadoneBuprenorphine/naloxoneComorbid substance useDepressionLearning and memoryMethadoneOpioid use disorder

Identifiers

PMID34689841
PMCPMC8543954
OpenAlexW3208203988

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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.