Recognition memory probes affect what is remembered in schizophrenia

Cognitive psychology offers tools to localize the memory processes most vulnerable to disruption in schizophrenia and to identify how patients with schizophrenia best remember. In this research, we used the University of Southern California Repeatable Episodic Memory Test (USC-REMT; Parker, E.S., Landau, S.M., Whipple, S.C., Schwartz, B.L., 2004. Aging, recall, and recognition: A study on the sensitivity of the University of Southern California Repeatable Episodic Memory Test (USC-REMT). Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology 26(3), 428–440.) to examine how two different recognition memory probes affect memory performance in patients with schizophrenia and matched controls. Patients with schizophrenia studied equivalent word lists and were tested by yes–no recognition and forced-choice recognition following identical encoding and storage conditions. Compared with controls, patients with schizophrenia were particularly impaired when tested by yes–no recognition relative to forced-choice recognition. Patients had greatest deficits on hits in yes–no recognition but did not exhibit elevated false alarms. The data point to the importance of retrieval processes in schizophrenia, and highlight the need for further research on ways to help patients with schizophrenia access what they have learned.