Prospective Memory in Depression: Review of an Emerging Field

Depressive disorders have been linked to a variety of neuropsychological deficits, including in the areas of processing speed, memory, and executive functioning. These neurocognitive disturbances may contribute to the impairments in daily functioning often experienced by those suffering with depression. Prospective memory (PM), which refers to remembering to execute a previously formed intention at some point in the future, has been shown to play a critical role in daily functioning and may be particularly relevant in the context of depression. In this review, we synthesize the literature on PM and its relation to depression. We also put forth a new five-phase model of PM through which we frame our discussion of the existing literature on PM and depression. The results of this review reveal that PM deficits emerge in those tasks that place the greatest demands on executive functioning (e.g., monitoring for a PM cue, maintaining an intention over a delay). We conclude the review by highlighting the potential clinical relevance of these findings and proposing directions for future research.