title: Cognitive function in ecstasy naive abstinent drug dependants and MDMA users.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  'Hidden' symptoms, or subtle cognitive deficits and long-term changes in mood, have been linked to the recreational use of 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine/MDMA, and are notionally present in non-heavy polydrug users. This study assessed the cognitive functioning and mood profiles of clinically diagnosed drug dependents who had never consumed MDMA, recreational drug users that had previously consumed MDMA, with both groups having not consumed illicit drugs for 6-months, and a control group with limited illicit drug use and no MDMA usage in their past.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Cognitive Drug Research computerised cognitive assessment system and participants completed the Profile of Mood States and Beck Depression Inventory to assess their current mood and depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants in the clinically diagnosed drug dependent group scored significantly worse on the 'Quality of Working Memory' cognitive factor score than both the MDMA and control group (F (2, 33) = 5.75, p = 0.007). The control and clinical groups also differed on depression scores (U [16] = 13.00, p = 0.016) and Tension/Anxiety scores (U [16] = 16.00, p = 0.034), with the clinical group scoring significantly higher in both cases. The MDMA group did not differ from the control group on the measures of cognition or mood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that despite a 6-month prolonged abstinence the cognitive deficits ostensibly caused by 'heavy' usage or the dependence on or abuse of illicit drugs are not reversed by abstinence.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Downey
authors.forename: Con
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stough
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced; D055030:Drug Users / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine