Diagnostic efficiency and material specificity of the Warrington Recognition Memory Test: A collaborative multisite investigation

Two studies examined the Warrington Recognition Memory Test (RMT) discrepan cy index (Words-Faces) in a large sample of patients heterogeneous with res pect to age, education, gender, and neurological diagnosis. In Study 1 (N = 504) we used cutoffs from the Words-Faces discrepancy scores derived from Warrington's original validation sample to attempt to accurately classify p atients with left, right, or diffuse brain damage. Sensitivity for left hem isphere patients (Faces > Words) was 10% with a specificity of 88%, whereas sensitivity for right hemisphere patients (Words > Faces) was 48% with a s pecificity of 86%. For patients with diffuse brain damage (Words = Faces) s ensitivity was 69% and specificity was 38%. In Study 2 (N = 263), we examin ed the relationship between the Words-Faces discrepancy score and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R; Wechsler, 1981) Logical Memory and Visual Repr oduction subtests. Contrary to predictions, patients with Words > Faces per formed better on both WMS-R subtests; the Faces > Words discrepancy was not related to Visual Reproduction performance. Potential reasons for these ne gative findings are discussed, as well as cautions for future RMT discrepan cy index use. (C) 2000 National Academy of Neuropsychology. Published by El sevier Science Ltd.