ABSTRACT
Alteration of cognitive ability and function often accompanies the use and abuse of many psychoactive drugs. ere is a particularly rich history of research on the cognitive consequences of drugs that are commonly abused (e.g., alcohol, opioids). is research includes the assessment of diverse levels of functioning, from basic sensory perception such as visual stimulus discrimination, to complex higher-order processes such as problem solving. Understanding
the effects of drugs on cognitive performance has important clinical and social implications. For example, research has demonstrated that commonly abused drugs can significantly impair one’s ability to drive a car, perform complex tasks required in the workplace, or even make one more prone to impulsive decision making.
