Study Links Memory Problems and Drugs Like Ecstasy

If you were asked which recreational drug you associate with side effects like: forgetfulness, loss of short-term memory and the inability to concentrate, what would you think of? Most likely, would marijuana would be the first drug to come to mind? Well, although marijuana is often linked with these effects, a new British study shows that marijuana isn't the only recreational drug that may harm memory.

The study about prospective memory deficits in ecstasy/polydrug users  was published by the Journal of Psychopharmacology in February 2010, and seems to demonstrate a definite link between the use of ecstasy or other recreational drugs and memory lapses.

The main thrust of the study is the link between the recreational drug usage and its effects on “prospective memory” (basically, the memory function of remembering to remember to do something.) In other words, have you ever had a feeling that you were supposed to be doing something but can't remember what it was?  Well, that is your brain having difficulty with prospective memory, and it can be very frustrating. The significance of this type of memory is also important because the same part of the brain that handles this memory is also responsible for functions like organizing, planning, and the ability to multi-task. And if this study's findings are correct, then this kind of frustration will be felt by users of recreational drugs like ecstasy.

Like most studies of this kind, the researchers were able to find many users and non-users willing to participate by recruiting students. Specifically they took 31 non-users and 42 users of ecstasy (as is the case with the majority of ecstasy users, this group also used other recreational drugs as well.) The students gave their previous and current drug use, including drinking, marijuana and smoking, and were tested in order to determine their memory skills. These tests included giving the participants information that they were then asked about weeks later.

The results of the study clearly show that ecstasy (and the regular use of a mix of drugs), seem to affect the users' basic memory skills. In addition, to the laboratory tests (and possibly more telling) was that the users' themselves admitted to feeling a loss of memory functions.
This last fact serves two functions. First, it helps reinforce the study's findings as the participants agree with the laboratory findings. And second, it serves to remind us of the unfortunate power that these recreational drugs can have. Studies not only prove that these drugs will hurt our brains ability to work optimally, but the users themselves admit to feeling the negative effects, yet they continue to use them.

At the conclusion of the study, the researchers make the caveat that although the research seems to show a correlation between the drug use and the memory loss, they point out that it's possible that the brain deficiencies could be the result of preexisting conditions that may actually lead to drug abuse.  In other words, it could be a case of what came first, the chicken or the egg? Although this idea may seem to undermine their own findings, it doesn't discount the correlation between drug use and a loss of memory function. It also serves to point out the overall lack of knowledge out there regarding not only the affects of drugs on the mind, but also the root causes of addiction.

Luckily, we do know that no matter what the reason for the drug abuse, if someone wants to get help they can.  Call Sunrise Recovery for men's treatment or Sober Living by the Sea for treatment for women.