The assessment and rehabilitation of prospective memory problems in people with neurological disorders: a review

Neuropsychol Rehabil. 2010 Apr;20(2):161-79. doi: 10.1080/09602010903126029. Epub 2010 Feb 1.

Abstract

People with neurological disorders often report difficulty with prospective memory (PM), that is, remembering to do things they had intended to do. This paper briefly reviews the literature regarding the neuropsychology of PM function, concluding that from the clinical perspective, PM is best considered in terms of its separable but interacting mnemonic and executive components. Next, the strengths and limitations in the current clinical assessment of PM, including the assessment of component processes, desktop analogues of PM tasks, and naturalistic PM tasks, are outlined. The evidence base for the rehabilitation of PM is then considered, focusing on retraining PM, using retrospective memory strategies, problem-solving training, and finally, electronic memory aids. It is proposed that further research should focus on establishing the predictive validity of PM assessment, and refining promising rehabilitation techniques.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Memory Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Memory Disorders / rehabilitation*
  • Models, Psychological
  • Nervous System Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Nervous System Diseases / rehabilitation*
  • Neuropsychological Tests