Everyday memory deficits associated with anabolic-androgenic steroid use in regular gymnasium users

Heffernan, Tom, Battersby, Lisa, Bishop, Patricia and O'Neill, Terence (2015) Everyday memory deficits associated with anabolic-androgenic steroid use in regular gymnasium users. The Open Psychiatry Journal, 9. pp. 1-6. ISSN 1874-3544

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Abstract

Background: This study compared a group of 47 regular gym users who take androgenic-anabolic steroids (the AAS group) as part of their recreational sport, with a group of 48 regular gym users who do not use AAS (the Non-AAS group) on self-reports of Retrospective memory (RM), executive function (EF) and prospective memory (PM), which are all critical to everyday remembering.

Methods: All participants were tested using an on-line Survey Monkey method. The Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ) assessed everyday RM and PM deficits and the Executive Function Questionnaire (EFQ) assessed self-reported problems in EF. A drug-use questionnaire and a mood questionnaire were also administered

Results: After observing no between-group differences on alcohol or mood, omitting anyone who drank excessively or had drank recently, smoked or reported using any illegal drug, three one-way ANCOVAs (controlling for age)
revealed that the ASS group reported significantly more RM deficits, EF deficits, and PM deficits, when compared with the NonASS group.

Conclusion: It was concluded that AAS use in a recreational sports context is associated with RM, EF and PM deficits, indicating that AAS use may damage everyday remembering.

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