Clinical Neuropsychology of Addictions: A Bibliographic Review
Abstract
Addictions represent one of the leading causes of disability and premature death worldwide and pose a complex challenge for clinical neuropsychology. This narrative review critically examines 25 recent publications (2015–2025), including clinical studies, neuroimaging research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and case reports, aiming to synthesize evidence on cognitive profiles, functional predictors, implicated brain networks, assessment strategies, and therapeutic approaches in addictions. The results show that patients with substance use disorders and behavioral addictions frequently exhibit deficits in complex attention, memory, inhibition, executive functions, and decision-making, with moderating factors such as age, trauma history, psychiatric comorbidity, sedative burden, and emotional distress. Dysfunctions are identified in the insula, dorsolateral and orbitofrontal prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum, and emerging interventions include physical exercise, non-invasive brain stimulation, and personalized mobile technologies.
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References
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Published 2026-07-01
Keywords
- Neuropsychology,
- Addictions,
- Executive functions,
- Decision-making,
- Cognitive assessment
- Neuropsychological interventions ...More
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