Heroin Addiction is Associated With Cognitive Deficiency, Neurobiological Alterations and Socio-Demographic Factors in Adolescents

The development and growth of cognitive traits at adolescence is a multidimensional progression and drug addiction at this stage imparts significant detrimental effects on cognitive behavior and executive ability of brain. In this cross-sectional study, the adolescents with heroin use disorder with (G2) or without (G3) treatment were compared with the healthy controls (G1). Their socio-demographic data were collected, cognition was assessed by Stroop color word and colored number tests. Serum BDNF and dopamine analysis was done by ELISA. Time Interference Score was found to be significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) higher while Interference Score showed a significant (<i>p</i> < 0.05) decrease in the inhibitory control in the persons of G3 compared to control group G1. Serum BDNF was found to be significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) decreased while dopamine was significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) increased in the subjects of G3 compared to control group G1. The death of the father, a family conflict and a family member already addicted for drugs were identified to be significant (<i>p</i> < 0.05) parameters in the drug abuse. Lack of quality education (<i>p</i> < 0.001), financial stress due to unemployment or working only on daily wages (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and people from lower socioeconomic status family (<i>p</i> < 0.05) with low monthly earnings (<i>p</i> < 0.05) have a significantly higher trend for drug addiction. It was then observed that there is a significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.001) strong relationship that more the time spent by the person in the rehabilitation center, the less was the rate of relapse of the problem. It has therefore been concluded that socio-demographic factors play a crucial role in heroin addiction that ultimately severely affects their neurological development and thus, impairs the behavioral and learning abilities. However, a proper rehabilitation therapy could restore their social and mental health.