Subjective ratings of prospective memory deficits in MDMA (‘ecstasy’) users
Thomas Heffernan, Jonathan Ling, Andrew Scholey
Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental May 9, 2001 DOI: 10.1002/hup.290 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Prospective cohort study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 61 |
| Population | Regular ecstasy users (10+ times per month) and ecstasy-free controls |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Prospective memory Retrospective memory Prospective cohort study Cognition Episodic memory Recreational drug use Audiology Developmental psychology Clinical psychology |
| Citations | 57 |
| Key findings | Regular ecstasy users reported significantly more self-rated prospective memory errors than non-users, even after controlling for other drug use. |
Abstract
Abstract Chronic use of MDMA (3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine), or ‘ecstasy’, is associated with significant cognitive impairments, particularly in laboratory and field tests of memory for previously encoded material. Less is known about the effects of a history of MDMA use on aspects of everyday cognitive functioning–of which prospective memory (typically characterised as ‘remembering to do something at some future point’) is an important aspect. Self‐ratings of prospective memory among 30 regular ecstasy users (taking the drug 10 or more times per month) and 31 ecstasy‐free controls were compared. Each participant completed the Prospective Memory Questionnaire, which measures self‐rated error frequencies relating to three aspects of prospective memory (short‐term habitual, long‐term episodic and internally cued); the scale also records the use of strategies to aid remembering. Compared with non‐users, ecstasy users reported significantly more self‐rated errors in prospective memory, an effect which was evident after co‐varying levels of other drug use. There were no significant differences in the use of strategies to aid memory. These findings provide new insights into prospective memory dysfunction in recreational drug users. Prospective memory deficits may be related to the reported serotonergic and frontal lobe deficits in chronic MDMA users. It is necessary to use more objective tasks to assess putative prospective memory deficits in ecstasy users. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subjective Reports of the Effects of MDMA in a Clinical Setting Individuals who took MDMA in a clinical setting | 1986 | Observational study | |
| Memory impairment in abstinent MDMA ("Ecstasy") users Abstinent MDMA users | 1998 | Observational cohort | |
| Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Otherwise healthy young people | 2000 | Observational | |
| The Psychological and Physiological Effects of MDMA on Normal Volunteers Older, more educated, drug-experienced individuals | 1986 | Observational cohort | |
| Cognitive performance in recreational users of MDMA or 'ecstasy': evidence for memory deficits Young people who were regular or novice MDMA users, or non-users | 1998 | Observational cohort | n = 30 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 16
- Ecstasy/MDMA attributed problems reported by novice, moderate and heavy recreational users Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental July 12, 2002
- Cannabis‐related deficits in real‐world memory Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental March 1, 2012
- MDMA and the “Ecstasy Paradigm” Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2014
- Attenuation of the disruptive effects of (+/-)3,4-methylene dioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on delayed matching-to-sample performance in the rat. Behavioral Neuroscience 2006
- Implications of MDMA use for prospective memory function and substance use patterns in an Australian sample: A web‐based pilot study Australian Journal of Psychology March 16, 2011
and 11 more in the library
Cites 8
- Recreational MDMA use in Sydney: a profile of ‘Ecstasy’ users and their experiences with the drug British Journal of Addiction August 1, 1992
- Memory impairment in abstinent MDMA ("Ecstasy") users Neurology December 1, 1998
- Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry June 1, 2000
- Reducedin vivobinding to the serotonin transporter in the cerebral cortex of MDMA (‘ecstasy’) users The British Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1999
- Cognitive performance in recreational users of MDMA or 'ecstasy': evidence for memory deficits Journal of Psychopharmacology 1998
and 3 more in the library