It has been estimated that among those accessing specialist treatment for alcohol use disorders, dementia may be present in 10-24% of people and some level of cognitive impairment in 30-80% of individuals.
Although symptoms can be acute, for example, in Wernicke’s Encephalopathy, in many cases the onset of impairment is more gradual.
In addition to affecting short- and long-term memory, alcohol is known to affect executive function, including attention, reasoning, learning, planning, problem-solving, social cognition and apathy.
Cognitive impairment may prevent people from being able to access, engage with, and maintain support from, specialist alcohol treatment services.
Contact us: CAMHR_ARCI@hull.ac.uk
Alcohol-related cognitive impairment
Many people experiencing alcohol use disorder and at risk of experiencing alcohol-related cognitive impairment are thought to be found in acute hospital settings.
Establishing a sensitive, specific, and reliable tool which is feasible and acceptable to implement in busy acute care settings would improve early case identification and support care planning and clinical research.
Alcohol-related cognitive impairment is significantly underdiagnosed, yet there is strong evidence that the condition can be partially or fully reversed through prolonged cessation of alcohol consumption.
Therefore, finding the best way to identify alcohol-related cognitive impairment early is essential. Cognitive screening tools could be used to help identify people with the condition, but there is a lack of evidence about which tools are most appropriate for this population.
New strategies
Our approach is to engage with service users with lived experience, their families, and key stakeholders and co-produce research to find interventions that are acceptable, effective and meet service-users' needs.
We are conducting a prospective validation study to explore the use of short cognitive screening tools amongst adults who have experienced alcohol use disorders and hospital admission. Our research establishes the prevalence of alcohol-related cognitive impairment amongst adults admitted with alcohol dependence within three acute hospitals using the short screening tool developed through this research.
We are also exploring the use of electronic devices, data science, wearable technology and contingency management to support the delivery of our programme of research.
Patient and public involvement and engagement and stakeholder engagement
People with lived experience of alcohol use disorder and cognitive problems will be approached to participate in an advisory group and carer organisations are helping to identify cares to contribute to the work of this theme.
Our key stakeholder group is made up of representatives from key services including addiction, memory assessment and dementia services, mental health services, hospitals, criminal justice, social services, charities, commissioners and policymakers. This group will provide insights into care, commissioning and data sources.
Contact: Sarah Capes, Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Co-ordinator, CAMHR_PPI@hull.ac.uk
Work packages
Core team
Professor Judith Cohen, Director, Hull Health Trials Unit and Co-director, Centre of Addiction and Mental Health Research, University of Hull (Theme Lead)
Dr Philippa Case, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Research, University of Hull (Theme Coordinator)
Dr Jo Bell, Reader in Mental Health, Suicide Prevention, Trauma and Loss, University of Hull
Sarah Capes, Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Co-ordinator, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Research, University of Hull
Dr Lynsey Corless, Consultant Hepatologist and Alcohol Care Team lead, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; Honorary Senior Lecturer, Hull York Medical School
Professor Simon Coulton, Professor of Health Services Research, University of Kent
Professor Paolo Deluca, Professor of Addiction Research, King’s College London
Professor Colin Drummond, Emeritus Professor of Addiction Psychiatry, King’s College London
Dr Will Jones, Lecturer & Director of Research, University of Hull
Professor Thomas Phillips, Professor of Nursing in Addictions and Director, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Research, University of Hull
Professor Igor Schindler, Professor of Psychology, University of Hull
Alison Sharpe, Public Co-applicant, University of Hull
Dr Laura Voss, Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist, Humber NHS Trust; Honorary Senior Lecturer, Hull York Medical School
Dr Nat Wright, General Practitioner and Freelance Consultant