Chronic alcohol consumption has been associated with widespread cognitive deficits, including psychomotor speed. Researchers have found impairments in reaction speed, information processing, and fine-finger movement in alcoholics (Oscar-Berman et al., 2015). There have also been mixed findings on the impact of duration of alcohol use on neurocognitive functioning (Beatty et al., 2000; Oscar-Berman et al., 2004). This meta-analytical study examines: (a) the performance of abstinent alcohol-dependent individuals on psychomotor speed using the Trail Making TestA (TMT-A), and (b) the effect of duration of alcohol use on TMT-A.

As part of a larger study, two researchers independently searched eight databases, extracted required data, and calculated effect sizes on neuropsychological data in alcohol dependent (AD) individuals. Inclusion criteria for articles were: (a) comparison of abstinent alcohol-dependent patients to healthy controls, (b) matched control group on age, education, or IQ, and (c) standardized neuropsychological testing. Exclusion criteria included: (a) diagnosis of Axis I disorders (other than alcohol dependence), (b) comorbidity with other disorders that impact neuropsychological functioning, or (c) not published or translated into English. Twenty-seven articles (AD n= 840 and HC n = 881) were analyzed in this study.

The TMT-A evidenced a statistically significant and medium effect size estimate (g = 0.624, p < 0.001). The heterogeneity of TMT-A was statistically significant (Q=61.935, df=26, p=0.000) and moderate (I2=58.021%). The meta-regression analysis between duration of alcohol use in days and TMT-A was not statistically significant (Q=0.012, df=1, p=0.913).

TMT-A detects psychomotor speed deficits associated with alcohol dependence. Duration of alcohol use did not affect TMT-A performance, suggesting that other factors may have moderated this relationship. Further research should analyze other factors that affect psychomotor performance in alcohol dependent individuals.