PMAPS – Prospective Memory and Planning Study

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    An investigation of the relationship between prospective memory capacity and planning deficits among long-term opiate users

  • IRAS ID

    158580

  • Contact name

    Nicholas Little

  • Contact email

    littlen3@lsbu.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    London South Bank University

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 9 months, 30 days

  • Research summary

    The purpose of this study is to better understand the relationship between planning and prospective memory among long-term opiate users.

    Planning is an executive function of the brain that allows us to reflect upon and order the activities or steps that would be required to achieve a particular goal (such as taking medication at the correct time or attending a scheduled appointment).

    Prospective memory is a form of memory that involves remembering to perform a planned course of action at the appropriate time. Examples include remembering to take your medication with breakfast or remembering to attend a fortnightly medical appointment on Thursdays at 3pm.

    Opiates describes a class of illicit substances derived from the opium poppy. Common examples include heroin, morphine, codeine or opium itself.

    This study will compare long-term opiate users with individuals who have no history of substance misuse in order to better understand if long-term opiate use has an effect on an individual’s ability to make a plan for a future course of action and then remember to perform that plan of action at the appropriate moment.

  • REC name

    East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    14/EE/1218

  • Date of REC Opinion

    23 Oct 2014

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion