Everyday memory and laboratory memory tests: General function predictors in schizophrenia and remitted depression

This study was designed to compare neuropsychological memory measures ("laboratory memory tests") and an everyday memory measure in patients with schizophrenia, patients with major depression, and normal controls. Patients with schizophrenia (N = 68) treated with typical (N = 33) or atypical (N = 35) neuroleptics, patients with major depression (N = 30), and a control group (N = 36) were evaluated with clinical measures (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), laboratory memory tests (Digit-Span, Paired-Associates, Rey Complex Figure Test, and Digit-Symbol), everyday memory test (RMBT), and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). The schizophrenia group had a significantly lower level of performance in everyday memory and general function but not in laboratory memory tests. Verbal and everyday memory measures were correlated with general function. The diagnosis rather than current symptoms (in remission) contributed to test variance and was correlated with performance on everyday memory and general function tests. Everyday memory and verbal memory were good predictors of general function in schizophrenic and depressive patients in the remitted phase. However, the advantages of these tests over laboratory memory tests need to be further investigated in larger and more representative samples.