Everyday and prospective memory deficits in ecstasy/polydrug users Running Head: prospective memory impairments

The impact of ecstasy/polydrug use on real world memory (i.e., everyday memory, cognitive failures and prospective memory) was investigated in a sample of 42 ecstasy/polydrug users and 31 non-ecstasy users. Laboratory-based prospective memory (PM) tasks were administered along with self-report measures of PM to test whether any ecstasy/polydrug-related impairment on the different aspects of PM was present. Self-report measures of everyday memory and cognitive failures were also administered. Ecstasy/polydrug associated deficits were observed on both laboratory and self-report measures of PM and everyday memory. The present study extends previous research by demonstrating that deficits in PM are real and cannot be simply attributed to self misperceptions. The deficits observed reflect some general capacity underpinning both time and event-based PM contexts and are not task specific. Among this group of ecstasy/polydrug users recreational use of cocaine was also prominently associated with PM deficits. Further research might explore the differential effects of individual illicit drugs on real-world memory.