Differential effects of Ecstasy and cannabis on self‐reports of memory ability: a web‐based study

Abstract

Given the legal status of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), or Ecstasy, face-to-face access to participants is sometimes difficult. The number of participants in studies of cognitive performance amongst Ecstasy users is variable, with the average being around 30. Access to a larger number of participants is clearly desirable. The present investigation accessed a larger sample size using a web-based design. A website was developed and used for data collection. Prospective memory ability was assessed using the Prospective Memory Questionnaire. Self-report of day-to-day memory performance was investigated using the Everyday Memory Questionnaire. The Drug Questionnaire assessed the use of other substances as well as Ecstasy, allowing a regression design to isolate the contribution of each substance to any variance on the cognitive measures. Preliminary findings (N = 488) indicate that there is a clear double dissociation between the impact of Ecstasy and cannabis. We found that cannabis was associated with reports of 'here-and-now' cognitive problems in short-term and internally cued prospective memory. In contrast, Ecstasy was associated with reports of long-term memory problems, which were more related to storage and retrieval difficulties. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Prospective memory functioning among ecstasy/polydrug users: evidence from the Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT)

“…While a trend was evident on both measures with ecstasy/polydrug users performing worse, cannabis only users achieving intermediate levels of performance and non illicit drug users performing best, cannabis only users did not differ significantly from non users of illicit drugs on either PM measure. The ecstasy/polydrugrelated deficit observed here in relation to non illicit drug users is consistent with previous findings from our own and other laboratories using self report (Hadjiefthyvoulou et al, in press;Heffernan et al, 2001a;2001b;Montgomery & Fisk, 2007;Rodgers et al, 2001; and laboratory measures (Hadjiefthyvoulou et al, in press;Rendell et al, 2007a). They also demonstrate the utility of the CAMPROMPT measure in detecting individual differences in PM performance among non clinical populations augmenting the existing literature in this regard (Groot et al, 2002;Wilson et al, 2005).…”

“…Self report measures of this construct have been developed (e.g., Crawford et al, 2005;Hannon et al, 1995) and in previous research from our laboratory, Fisk and co-workers have demonstrated apparent impairments on these measures among ecstasy/polydrug users (Montgomery & Fisk, 2007) and cannabis only users (Fisk & Montgomery, 2008). Other researchers have also reported deficits on self report PM measures among users of illicit drugs (Heffernan et al, 2001a;2001b;Rodgers et al, 2001; and studies from our own laboratory and elsewhere have revealed deficits among illicit drug users in laboratory measures of PM (Hadjiefthyvoulou et al, in press;Rendell et al, 2007a;Rendell et al, 2009). …”

“…While a number of researchers have used self-report measures to investigate PM deficits among illicit drug users (Heffernan et al, 2001a;2001b;Montgomery and Fisk, 2007;Rodgers et al, 2001;, to date relatively few studies in this area have used laboratory tests of prospective memory. McHale and Hunt (2008) administered two simple laboratory tests: remembering to press a timer 10 minutes after being instructed to do so and remembering to post an envelope back to the experimenter two days after the test session.…”

Real-world memory and executive processes in cannabis users and non-users

“…Prior to the present paper, Rodgers et al (2001) was the only study that we are aware of to examine real world memory processes in illicit drug users. In an Internet based study of poly-substance abusers, regression analysis revealed that the frequency of cannabis use was significantly associated with impairments in everyday memory and in aspects of prospective memory (PM).…”

Acute dose of MDMA (75 mg) impairs spatial memory for location but leaves contextual processing of visuospatial information unaffected

“…It is well known that MDMA users also consume a variety of other drugs, most notably cannabis, alcohol, and cocaine (Scholey et al 2004;Rodgers et al 2001). All of these drugs have been associated with cognitive deficits (Dafters et al 2004;Verdejo Garcia et al 2005), which in turn may have confounded results from studies on spatial memory function in MDMA users.…”