Substâncias potencialmente aditivas consumidas por idosos e suas associações com os domínios cognitivos das funções executivas

Abstract

Objective: the present thesis proposed to investigate the potentially addictive substances, alcohol, cigarettes, and benzodiazepines, consumed by the elderly and the associations with executive functions. Methods: the Thesis was designed with mixed methods: it is a cross- sectional study and control cases. The cross-sectional sample consisted of 203 elderly people, 137 females, 66 males, the average age of 69.12 ± 7.05. In the cross-sectional study, the Path Analysis model was used, in which the trajectory analysis is a statistical form of multiple regression used to evaluate causal models, examining the relationships between dependent and independent variables. In case-control studies, subsamples were matched by type of substance consumed, sex, education, and socioeconomic status. The hypotheses in the control cases about cognitive impairments, associated with the use of potentially addictive substances, alcohol, cigarettes, and benzodiazepines, were analyzed by the Student's T-test for normal variables and by the Mann Whitney test for non-normal variables. In addition, logistic regression models were used to identify significance values adjusted odds ratios (ORa). Results: the cross-sectional analysis of the total sample of 203 elderly people, significant results were observed among elderly people who used alcohol and the executive function cognitive flexibility (r = 14.954, sd = 7.652, Z = 1.978, p = 0.048) and executive function inhibitory control (r = 6,991, sd = 3,234, Z = 2,162, p = 0,031). In this case, the cognitive flexibility executive domain was the most affected by alcohol consumption. Cigarette consumption by the elderly was also associated with impaired working memory (r = 0.425, sd = 0.158, Z = 2.683, p = 0.007). Among the case-control studies of the thesis, there was a differential association between alcohol and cigarette consumption and executive functions. The results related to the prolonged use of Clonazepam by the elderly still stand out. In this study, Clonazepam is associated with a better performance of executive functions. Conclusions: the present thesis presents relevant results for population studies with the elderly, which can serve as an aid in clinical management and influence the models of prevention and intervention in an expanded clinic. This population and clinical study with the elderly can assist in the management of the expanded clinic, as it has an influence on prevention and intervention models, in which executive functions are important in the healthy aging process.