[The 5-word test in 85 patients with generalized anxiety disorder]

Patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) expressed frequent memory complaints leading to consultations in memory clinics. The 5-word test (5WT) is a serial verbal memory test with semantic cuing. It is proposed to rapidly evaluate memory of people with memory complaints. It has previously shown its sensitivity and its specificity in identifying patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The objective was to evaluate memory performances of patients with GAD.

Characteristics of the 5WT were investigated in a sample of 85 patients with GAD compared with 183 normal controls aged from 40 to 70 years.

For each score of the 5WT, GAD patients significantly differed from controls. Forgetting rate was twice more important in GAD patients than in controls. However, for any score of the 5WT, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves found no significant cut-off scores combining reliable sensitivity, specificity and correct classification of the subjects.

In spite of ancient and severe mnestic complaints, GAD patients have significant difficulties with the 5WT as compared to controls without being of the magnitude of those observed in AD patients.

The 5WT is an easy and rapid test allowing a reliable evaluation of memory in GAD patients. Results could usually confort patients. The presence of true memory deficits with the 5WT could not be ascribed to anxiety but to other pathological conditions. Consequently, further memory testing should be done.