RBANS neuropsychological profiles within schizophrenia samples recruited from non-clinical settings.
BACKGROUND
This paper examines the potential impact of recruitment source differences in schizophrenia research by comparing the neuropsychological performance of volunteers from the NISAD Schizophrenia Research Register with recently published schizophrenia normative data for the Repeatable Battery for Neuropsychological Status (RBANS).


METHODS
The Register sample comprised 285 volunteers with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Their RBANS performance was compared with US data from 575 predominantly outpatient-recruited schizophrenia patients.


RESULTS
The Register sample displayed impairments in immediate and delayed memory, but near-normal language, attention and visuospatial-constructional performance (mean RBANS total score=88.72, SD=16.35). By contrast, health service-recruited schizophrenia patients displayed impairments on all RBANS scales (mean RBANS total score=70.54, SD=14.80). Within the Register sample, volunteers with low levels of current functioning had immediate and delayed memory performance comparable to the US schizophrenia sample. Gender and school completion status were also associated with different RBANS profiles.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings reinforce the notion that a severity/functioning gradient exists across schizophrenia recruitment sources, which has important implications for research design and generalizability. Memory impairments have emerged as a central feature of schizophrenia.
Loughland
Carmel M
CM
Neuroscience Institute of Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders (NISAD) 384 Victoria Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia. Carmel.Loughland@newcastle.edu.au
Lewin
Terry J
TJ
Carr
Vaughan J
VJ
Sheedy
Jim
J
Harris
Anthony W
AW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008605:Mental Health Services; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009517:New South Wales; D018579:Patient Selection; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D012016:Reference Values; D012042:Registries; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology