ABSTRACT
Many researchers have reported that smoking enhanced psychomotor performance in healthy subjects, but little is known about the effects of cigarette smoking on psychomotor performance in schizophrenic patients who have a high prevalence of smoking and various psychomotor dysfunctions. The author investigated the effects of cigarette smoking on psychomotor performance in schizophrenic patients. Subjects were grouped into (1) smokers with no smoking for 90 minutes prior to testing, (2) smokers with smoking a cigarette after 90 minutes abstinence prior to testing and (3) nonsmokers. The scores of Motor performance series(MPS) and Decision-reaction timer(DRT) were compared among these three groups. No significant differences were found in MPS. In DRT, schizophrenic smokers with smoking a cigarette after 90 minutes abstinence prior to testing showed significantly shorter reaction time and decision time but no significant differences in motor time and correct response rate. In conclusion, this study suggests that smoking enhances cognitive processes in schizophrenic patients but does not influence motor performance.