Effects of drinking patterns on prospective memory performance in college students.

Abstract

Objective Traditional college students are at a critical juncture in the development of prospective memory (PM). Their brains are vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. Methods 123 third and fourth year college students, 19-23 years old, completed the Self-Rating Effects of Alcohol (SREA), Modified Timeline Follow-back (TFLB), Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Scale (BYAACS) and Alcohol Effects Questionnaire (AEQ) once per month on a secure on-line database, as reported elsewhere (Dager, et al., 2013). Data from the six months immediately prior to memory testing were averaged. In a single testing session participants were administered the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI-DSM-IV-TR), measures of PM (event-based and time-based), and retrospective memory (RM). Based on the average score of six consecutive monthly responses to the SREA, TLFB and AEQ, students were classified as non-drinkers, light drinkers, or heavy drinkers (as defined previously, Dager, et al., 2013). Alcohol-induced amnesia (blackout) was measured with the BYAACS. Results We found a relationship between these alcohol use classifications and time-based PM, such that participants who were classified as heavier drinkers were more likely to forget to perform the time-based PM task. We also found that self-reported alcohol-induced amnesia (blackouts) during the month immediately preceding memory testing was associated with lower performance on the event-based PM task. Participants' ability to recall the RM tasks suggested the PM items were successfully encoded even when they were not carried out, and we observed no relationship between alcohol use and RM performance. Conclusion Heavy alcohol use in college students may be related to impairments in PM.

Neurocognitive Performance of African Americans and Hispanic Adults in Relation to Diet and Physical Activity: A Literature Review

“…Regardless of the use of medications that suppress viral loads in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients, the growing middle-aged AA and Hispanic populations are at high risk of cognitive impairments due to concomitant substance abuse. Moreover, significant impairment of neuropsychological performance has been demonstrated in alcohol users, while recovery of cognitive functioning has been reported in a minority of cases [92,93]. Although AAs start drinking at an older age and have lower levels of use in the majority of age groups [94], they are more likely to make errors in a shorter period and express greater episodic, spatial, and working memory deficits in combination with slightly deteriorated executive functioning [95,96].…”

A mixed‐methods approach to improve the measurement of alcohol‐induced blackouts: ABOM‐2

“…Perhaps most troubling is that alcohol-induced blackouts are associated with neurotoxicity and related outcomes, such as poorer cognitive functioning (e.g., lower performance on event-based prospective memory tasks; Zamroziewicz et al, 2017). Because adolescence and young adulthood are critical periods of neurodevelopment, college students are in a "window of vulnerability" with respect to the impact of heavy alcohol use on the brain (Hermens et al, 2013;Pfefferbaum et al, 1994).…”

“…This is concerning because alcohol‐induced blackouts are associated with an increased risk for negative consequences, such as serious injury or death (Hingson et al, 2016), risky sexual behavior (Merrill et al, 2016; Silveri et al, 2014), and poor academic performance (Park, 2004). Perhaps most troubling is that alcohol‐induced blackouts are associated with neurotoxicity and related outcomes, such as poorer cognitive functioning (e.g., lower performance on event‐based prospective memory tasks; Zamroziewicz et al, 2017). Because adolescence and young adulthood are critical periods of neurodevelopment, college students are in a “window of vulnerability” with respect to the impact of heavy alcohol use on the brain (Hermens et al, 2013; Pfefferbaum et al, 1994).…”

A Longitudinal Examination of Alcohol-Related Blackouts as a Predictor of Changes in Learning, Memory, and Executive Function in Adolescents

“…Findings are also inconsistent regarding patterns of ARB-related change in specific cognitive domains. For example, a study by Zamroziewicz et al (23) found that, among college students, higher ARB frequency was associated with lower performance on an event-based prospective memory task. Findings from another study in college students by Min et al (24) suggested that earlier ARB onset was related to lower non-contextual verbal memory abilities.…”