Abnormal externally guided movement preparation in recent-onset schizophrenia is associated with impaired selective attention to external input.
Several theories propose that the primary cognitive impairment in schizophrenia concerns a deficit in the processing of external input information. There is also evidence, however, for impaired motor preparation in schizophrenia. This provokes the question whether the impaired motor preparation in schizophrenia is a secondary consequence of disturbed (selective) processing of the input needed for that preparation, or an independent primary deficit. The aim of the present study was to discriminate between these hypotheses, by investigating externally guided movement preparation in relation to selective stimulus processing. The sample comprised 16 recent-onset schizophrenia patients and 16 controls who performed a movement-precuing task. In this task, a precue delivered information about one, two or no parameters of a movement summoned by a subsequent stimulus. Performance measures and measures derived from the electroencephalogram showed that patients yielded smaller benefits from the precues and showed less cue-based preparatory activity in advance of the imperative stimulus than the controls, suggesting a response preparation deficit. However, patients also showed less activity reflecting selective attention to the precue. We therefore conclude that the existing evidence for an impairment of externally guided motor preparation in schizophrenia is most likely due to a deficit in selective attention to the external input, which lends support to theories proposing that the primary cognitive deficit in schizophrenia concerns the processing of input information.
Smid
Henderikus G O M
HG
Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. h.g.o.m.smid@psy.umcg.nl
Westenbroek
Joanna M
JM
Bruggeman
Richard
R
Knegtering
Henderikus
H
Van den Bosch
Robert J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004585:Electrooculography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology