ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Abnormalities of cognitive responses to verbal and visual distracter in schizophrenia have been demonstrated in numerous studies but little is known about three dimensional visuospatial-motor distracter processing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the vulnerability of patients with schizophrenia to three dimensional visuospatial-motor distracter. METHODS: 14 patients with schizophrenia and 14 normal volunteers were assessed on three dimensional maze tasks requiring on working memory and reasoning ability in the virtual reality environment. Performances were compared according to with- or without-distracter conditions. RESULTS: Patients with schizophrenia showed significantly lower performances than normal control group on cognitive flexibility, simple motor function or motor control and motor coordination, working memory span and delayed performance times. The performance index tended to be more deteriorated, but not significantly, in with-distracter condition than in without-distracter condition in schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with schizophrenia tend to be vulnerable to visuospatial-motor distracter which simulate the real world of three dimensional environment.