Prospective memory is an essential cognitive function in everyday life. Its disruption can affect autonomy and the execution of planned tasks, making its clinical assessment highly relevant.
What is prospective memory?
Prospective memory is the ability to remember future intentions and execute them at the right time. It differs from retrospective memory, which focuses on past events, and depends on planning, sustained attention, and working memory. When studying what prospective memory is, there are two main types:- Time-based: performing an action at a specific time (e.g., taking your medication at 9 p.m.).
- Event-based: performing an action based on a specific stimulus occurring (e.g., handing over a document when you see a specific person).
Contextualization of prospective memory
Clinical interest in prospective memory has increased due to its functional impact. It is affected by ageing, ADHD, neurodevelopmental disorders, acquired brain injury, and neurodegenerative diseases. It is closely related to executive processes such as temporal organization, response inhibition, and attentional monitoring. Any alteration can make it difficult to perform daily routines, even when other cognitive functions remain stable. In neuropsychology, assessing this memory allows us to understand how a person manages their daily activities, beyond the performance of classic memory tasks.What examples are there of prospective memory?
The most common examples of prospective memory are:- Attending a medical appointment at the scheduled time.
- Taking medication after meals.
- Turning off the stove after cooking.
- Cancelling a subscription on the 30th day of the month.
Laboratory assessment paradigms of prospective memory
The laboratory assessment of prospective memory is based on tasks designed to simulate the need to remember and perform a specific action in the future. These tasks include an instruction phase, a retention period during another activity, and the performance of an action upon being given a specific cue. The cues can be temporal (after an interval) or event-based (triggered by a stimulus), and they require a self-initiated response without reminders. These conditions allow variables such as hits, omissions, false positives, or response latency to be recorded. Some methodological variants include distracting stimuli, greater complexity, or delayed instructions, allowing the relationship between prospective memory and processes such as attention or executive functions to be analyzed. In addition to these traditional designs, neuropsychological tests such as Nesplora Memory Suite, a memory assessment test, apply these principles in a virtual reality setting. These provide controlled everyday scenarios that improve ecological validity and allow this cognitive function to be observed under conditions that are more closely related to everyday life.What exercises can be done to improve an individual’s prospective memory?
Prospective memory can be strengthened through exercises. One example is the Prospective Memory Training Program (PROMPT) (Sohlberg and Mateer, 1985), which focuses on two main strategies: the use of procedural memory and training with external aids. These aids range from calendars, notes, or lists to alarms, electronic journals, and cell phone applications, used to plan, organize, and execute future tasks. One notable PROMPT technique is spaced retrieval, which trains the retrieval of information through repeated practice at increasingly longer intervals, seeking generalization to functional contexts. Integrating these methods into personalized treatment plans improves prospective memory performance and increases the autonomy of the assessed individual in their daily life.References:
- Grandi, F., & Tirapu-Ustárroz, J. (2017). Neuropsychology of event-based prospective memory. Revista de Neurología, 65(5), 226–233. Taken on June 4, 2025 from https://svnps.org/documentos/memoria-prospectiva.pdf
- Gordillo León, F., Arana Martínez, J. M., Meilán, J. J. G., & Mestas Hernández, L. (2010). The effect of emotion on prospective memory: a new approach based on operant procedures Escritos de Psicología, 3(4), 40–47. Taken on June 4, 2025 from http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1989-38092010000300005&lng=es&tlng=es
- García Castro, J. A. (2022). Introducción a la rehabilitación neuropsicológica: Formación para el Grado en Psicología (Kindle edition). Amazon Digital Services. ISBN 979-8422918249
- Echavarría-Ramírez, L., & Tirapu, J. (2020). Cuidemos nuestro cerebro: Pautas para mantenerlo en forma (ahora y siempre). Taken on June 4 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341423941_CUIDEMOS_NUESTRO_CEREBRO_PAUTAS_PARA_MANTENERLO_EN_FORMA_AHORA_Y_SIEMPRE
- Cores, E. V., Vanotti, S. I., Politis, D. G., & Garcea, O. (2010). Paradigmas experimentales de evaluación de la memoria prospectiva en el laboratorio. Revista Argentina de Neuropsicología, 16, 1–22. Taken on June 4 from https://ri.conicet.gov.ar/bitstream/handle/11336/198896/CONICET_Digital_Nro.924debcf-db4c-4ad6-b677-7aa6ca777cf7_B.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y