The present study investigated prospective memory in patients with
Parkinson's disease (PD) and healthy controls. In addition, the
influence of task importance on participants' performance was
examined. Experimental settings required participants to focus either on
the prospective or the ongoing task. The three main findings are (1) PD
patients performed as well on a prospective memory task as healthy
controls when the focus was laid on the prospective memory task, (2) their
prospective memory performance was impaired when the ongoing activity was
stressed, and (3) differences in working memory capacity were related to
these differential effects. Results indicate that PD patients can perform
event-based prospective memory tasks to a normal degree if the prospective
task component is prioritized. Data also suggest that a reduced working
memory capacity plays an important role in this process. Findings are
discussed in terms of conceptual, methodological, and clinical
implications. (JINS, 2007, 13, 888–892.)