title: Prospective memory functioning among ecstasy/polydrug users: evidence from the Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prospective memory (PM) deficits in recreational drug users have been documented in recent years. However, the assessment of PM has largely been restricted to self-reported measures that fail to capture the distinction between event-based and time-based PM. The aim of the present study is to address this limitation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Extending our previous research, we augmented the range laboratory measures of PM by employing the CAMPROMPT test battery to investigate the impact of illicit drug use on prospective remembering in a sample of cannabis only, ecstasy/polydrug and non-users of illicit drugs, separating event and time-based PM performance. We also administered measures of executive function and retrospective memory in order to establish whether ecstasy/polydrug deficits in PM were mediated by group differences in these processes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ecstasy/polydrug users performed significantly worse on both event and time-based prospective memory tasks in comparison to both cannabis only and non-user groups. Furthermore, it was found that across the whole sample, better retrospective memory and executive functioning was associated with superior PM performance. Nevertheless, this association did not mediate the drug-related effects that were observed. Consistent with our previous study, recreational use of cocaine was linked to PM deficits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PM deficits have again been found among ecstasy/polydrug users, which appear to be unrelated to group differences in executive function and retrospective memory. However, the possibility that these are attributable to cocaine use cannot be excluded.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, UK.
authors.forename: Florentia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hadjiefthyvoulou
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fisk
authors.forename: Catharine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: Nikola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bridges
mesh_terms: D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D002188:Cannabis / Q000009:adverse effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology*; D057567:Memory, Long-Term / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine