Lead: Memory function in patients with opioid dependence treated with buprenorphine and methadone in comparison with healthy persons

Memory function in patients with opioid dependence treated with buprenorphine and methadone in comparison with healthy persons

Scientific Reports

This study compared memory performance in patients treated with methadone or buprenorphine for drug abuse to healthy controls using the Wechsler Memory Scale. Healthy controls performed better than both treatment groups in mental control. Methadone patients scored higher than controls in personal and general information, while buprenorphine patients scored lower in associate learning. Longer buprenorphine treatment was linked to better overall memory scores, and patients on methadone for over two years showed better awareness of place and time compared to long-term buprenorphine users. Overall, neither medication showed major negative effects on memory except for mental control, which was impaired in both groups. Buprenorphine appeared to better preserve memory function over time than methadone.

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