Long-term alcohol use has been associated with mild to moderate cognitive impairments in memory and higher-order executive function, among others (Johansen-Berg, 2010, Kopera et al., 2012, Le Berre et al., 2017, Sullivan et al., 2010, Zahr et al., 2017). Current findings support these conclusions reporting lower problem-solving ability, lower visuospatial memory span, and working memory in AUD. Interestingly, AUD participants showed lower problem-solving ability only for the 3-pegs/beads puzzle-type in a task (TOLT) that also included puzzle-types with 4- and 5-pegs/beads. However, they did not show lower ability in preplanning or time spent in problem-solving. The 3 pegs/beads puzzle-type problems that require 3, 4, and 5 moves to solve tend to have a higher difficulty level compared to the 4- and 5-pegs/beads puzzle-types with similar move requirements (Dias and Seabra, 2012). Thus, AUD participants seem to display lower problem-solving ability only when the level of task-difficulty is higher. This suggests that cognitive deficits in AUD are subtle and manifest mainly in higher-order cognitive functions and/or in demanding circumstances.
