Comparative Diagnostic Accuracy of the Bender-Gestalt Test for Brain Injury in Individuals with Drug Abuse vs. Healthy Subjects: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background: This case-control study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of the Bender-Gestalt test (BGT) in identifying neuropsychological impairments in individuals with drug abuse compared to healthy controls. Methods: A total of 70 participants, comprising 52 individuals with drug abuse and 18 healthy controls, all with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score greater than 15, were included in the study. Each participant completed the BGT to assess visual-motor and neuropsychological impairments. Results: Individuals with drug abuse exhibited significantly more visual-motor errors than healthy controls, including rotation/reversal (P < 0.001), omissions (P = 0.004), and partial rotation (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The BGT is a reliable and cost-effective tool for detecting neuropsychological impairments in individuals with drug abuse.