title: Self-reports of executive dysfunction in current ecstasy/polydrug Users.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ecstasy/polydrug users have exhibited deficits in executive functioning in laboratory tests. We sought to extend these findings by investigating the extent to which ecstasy/polydrug users manifest executive deficits in everyday life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two current ecstasy/polydrug users, 18 previous (abstinent for at least 6 months) ecstasy/polydrug users, and 50 non-users of ecstasy (including both non-users of any illicit drug and some cannabis-only users) completed the self-report Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version (BRIEF-A) measure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Current ecstasy/polydrug users performed significantly worse than previous users and non-users on subscales measuring inhibition, self-monitoring, initiating action, working memory, planning, monitoring ongoing task performance, and organizational ability. Previous ecstasy/polydrug users did not differ significantly from non-users. In regression analyses, although the current frequency of ecstasy use accounted for statistically significant unique variance on 3 of the 9 BRIEF-A subscales, daily cigarette consumption was the main predictor in 6 of the subscales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current ecstasy/polydrug users report more executive dysfunction than do previous users and non-users. This finding appears to relate to some aspect of ongoing ecstasy use and seems largely unrelated to the use of other illicit drugs. An unexpected finding was the association of current nicotine consumption with executive dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, 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: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D055030:Drug Users / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D057566:Self Report; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine