The results, which are published in The Open Psychiatry Journal, revealed that those using steroids had significantly more deficits in their prospective and retrospective memory functioning, as well as their mental executive function, compared to non-users.
Steroid users were 39% more forgetting in terms of prospective memory – the process of remembering to do something you had planned to do in the future, such as remembering to pay a bill before it is due or to take medication at a certain time.
They were also 28% more forgetting when recalling past memories or previous facts, known as retrospective memory, and demonstrated a 32% difference in their mental executive function compared to non-users. Executive functioning is a term used to describe a number of cognitive processes that help an individual to pay attention, coordinate information and plan and execute tasks. A compromised executive function is likely to lead to confusion and poor planning, while reduced prospective memory ability leads to forgetfulness.
While a previous study from Harvard University found deficits in visuo-spatial memory in long-term steroid users, this is the first study to explore the impact that steroid use in a sporting context has on memory for everyday activities.