Abstract

BackgroundRecent research suggests that alcohol acutely impairs prospective memory (PM), and this impairment can be overcome using a strategy called ‘future event simulation’ (FES). Impairment in event-based PM found in detoxifying alcohol-dependent participants is reversed through FES. However, the impact of the most common problematic drinking patterns that do not involve alcohol dependence on PM remains unclear.AimsHere, we examine the impact of frequent heavy drinking on PM and the degree to which any impairments can be reversed through FES.MethodsPM was assessed in 19 heavy drinkers (AUDIT scores ≥15) and 18 matched control participants (AUDIT scores ≤7) using the ‘Virtual Week’ task both at baseline and again following FES.ResultsHeavy drinkers performed significantly worse than controls on regular and irregular time-based PM tasks. FES improved the performance of controls but not of heavy drinkers on time-based tasks. In contrast, FES improved heavy drinkers’ performance on event-based PM tasks.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that heavy drinkers experience deficits in strategic monitoring processing associated with time-based PM tasks which do not abate after FES. That the same strategy improves their event-based PM suggests that FES may be helpful for individuals with problematic drinking patterns in improving their prospective memory.

Highlights

  • Prospective memory (PM) is the ability to enact intended actions at an appropriate moment in the future (Ellis and Freeman 2008) and can be event and/or time-based

  • future event simulation (FES) may be helpful for individuals with problematic drinking patterns in improving their prospective memory

  • Alcohol’s acute and chronic impairment of retrospective memory has been documented extensively (e.g. Bisby et al 2010; Curran and Weingartner 2002) but only recently has attention been paid to the effects of alcohol on prospective memory

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Summary

Introduction

Prospective memory (PM) is the ability to enact intended actions at an appropriate moment in the future (Ellis and Freeman 2008) and can be event and/or time-based. Timebased tasks are those in which the intended action is performed at a specified time of day or after a specific amount of time has elapsed (e.g. taking medication at 8 a.m. or remembering to call back a friend in 20 min time) and relies on self-initiated behaviours. Recent research suggests that alcohol acutely impairs prospective memory (PM), and this impairment can be overcome using a strategy called ‘future event simulation’ (FES). Impairment in event-based PM found in detoxifying alcohol-dependent participants is reversed through FES. Methods PM was assessed in 19 heavy drinkers (AUDIT scores ≥15) and 18 matched control participants (AUDIT scores ≤7) using the ‘Virtual Week’ task both at baseline and again following FES

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