Neuro-behavioural correlates as predictors of drug abuse in the Jamaican population current evidence

ABSTRACT

There is growing recognition that pharmacological agents, when abused, significantly affect the central nervous system (CNS) and as a consequence neuropsychological functions. This makes it necessary to devise procedures to identify inter-alia the neurophysiological, behavioural, cognitive and emotional patterns of CNS dysfunction induced by substance abuse. The National Survey of Substance Abuse in Jamaica (1994), indicated that 2.4 percent of respondents endorsed greater than 50 percent of items on the Drug Involvement Scale (DIS). The DIS characterizes the severity of drug abuse, assessing how it dominates the persons life, inflicts behavioural disruption, thus reflecting the severity of drug dependence. Drug abusers endorsing <50 percent of DIS-items also manifested tendencies of attentional deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), memory loss, severe bouts of aggression, mood-swings and other behavioural problems. Furthermore, this group of people endorsed inter-alia 37 percent of the items of domains concerned with behaviour patterns, family systems and behaviour disorders indicating a generalized psychosocial-functional-disruption. Evidence will be adduced indicating the trigger effects of drugs on certain brain mechanisms producing specific neuropsychological correlates. The data generated behavioural and social correlates associated with substance abuse. These features indicated those persons who could be regarded as vulnerable to a variety of risky behaviours, including substance abuse. This observation led to the formulation of a screening strategy to tease out drug abusers and those people likely to be vulnerable. Thus, the neuro-drug diagnostic procedure (NIDEP), a computerized device, was established to assess the population for addictions and related psychological disabilities. The NIDEP consisted of twenty-one components selected from various domains covering a complex of dysfunctional behaviours and experiences (e.g. problems of memory, cognition, emotions, conduct disorders and disturbed family situations). NIDEP was programmed to select respondents with a score of greater than 66.6 percent endorsements. In this regard, the procedure selected 6,986 people. Following the application of DIS 4,455 persons were assessed as being heavily involved with drugs. These population estimations were calculated utilizing the National Sample age range of 15-50 years. (AU)