title: Semantic organizational strategy predicts verbal memory and remission rate of geriatric depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study tests the hypothesis that the use of semantic organizational strategy during the free-recall phase of a verbal memory task predicts remission of geriatric depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-five older patients with major depression participated in a 12-week escitalopram treatment trial. Neuropsychological performance was assessed at baseline after a 2-week drug washout period. The Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised was used to assess verbal learning and memory. Remission was defined as a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score of ≤ 7 for 2 consecutive weeks and no longer meeting the DSM-IV-TR criteria for major depression. The association between the number of clusters used at the final learning trial (trial 3) and remission was examined using Cox's proportional hazards survival analysis. The relationship between the number of clusters utilized in the final learning trial and the number of words recalled after a 25-min delay was examined in a regression with age and education as covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher number of clusters utilized predicted remission rates (hazard ratio, 1.26 (95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.54); χ(2)  = 4.23, df = 3, p = 0.04). There was a positive relationship between the total number of clusters used by the end of the third learning trial and the total number of words recalled at the delayed recall trial (F(3,58) = 7.93; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Effective semantic strategy use at baseline on a verbal list learning task by older depressed patients was associated with higher rates of remission with antidepressant treatment. This result provides support for previous findings indicating that measures of executive functioning at baseline are useful in predicting antidepressant response.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, White Plains, NY, USA. ssm9006@med.cornell.edu
authors: Sarah Shizuko
authors: SS
authors: Morimoto
authors: Faith M
authors: FM
authors: Gunning
authors: Dora
authors: D
authors: Kanellopoulos
authors: Christopher F
authors: CF
authors: Murphy
authors: Sibel A
authors: SA
authors: Klimstra
authors: Robert E
authors: RE
authors: Kelly
authors: George S
authors: GS
authors: Alexopoulos
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