Reaction time impairment in schizophrenia and affective illness: the role of attention.
A young but chronic group of schizophrenic and affective disorders patients was tested for simple reaction time (RT) and RT while engaged in a concurrent task. The affective disorders patients were subdivided by the presence of psychotic features. The results show that extreme slowing of RT is due to psychoticism and is not characteristic of nonpsychotic affective illness. Extreme intrasubject variability, however, was specific to schizophrenia, and may be a trait marker of the disorder.
Schwartz
F
F
Westchester Division, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, White Plains, NY.
Carr
A C
AC
Munich
R L
RL
Glauber
S
S
Lesser
B
B
Murray
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000523:psychology*; D001288:Attention; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003702:Delusions / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology