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Aim and Background: Chronic use of opiates has been associated with a wide range of cognitive deficits, involving domains of attention, inhibitory control, planning, decision-making, and memory. Therefore, the main aim of this research was the comparison of executive functions in heroin dependents and patients on methadone therapy with a control group. Method and Materials: The retrospective research method was used in the current study. Purposeful sampling method was used in methadone and heroin groups, but control group participants were selected randomly. Statistical population in this study consisted of heroin dependents and methadone users, in Isfahan city in 2012, who had been referred to medial, rehabilitation centers, and psychiatric clinics. Finally, 75 patients were selected in three groups [methadone (n = 25), heroin (n = 25), and control groups (n = 25)] according to the criteria of drug abuse or dependence in DSM-IV-TR. Then, they were evaluated based on the Tower of London and Stroop neuropsychological Tests. Findings: Results of analysis of variance show that the control group had a better performance in the Tower of London and Stroop tests in comparison with heroin dependents and methadone users groups (P ≤ 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between heroin dependents and methadone users groups.   Conclusions: Heroin dependency and methadone use, probably, causes prefrontal cortex and executive dysfunctions, and neurological disturbances in frontostriatal systems. According to these findings, we can design professional cognitive rehabilitation programs to rehabilitate patients in their personal, occupational, and social life.

Keywords: Executive functions, Methadone, Heroin

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