Article

Schizophrenia affects not only mental function but also movement. We compared the
movement of patients with mild schizophrenia and healthy control participants
during a bimanual assembly task and examined whether changes in object size
affected unimanual and bimanual movements. Fifteen patients with schizophrenia
and 15 age- and gender-matched control participants were instructed to bimanually
reach for and assemble objects. We manipulated the object size for the left hand
(large vs. small) and measured movement time, peak velocity, and bimanual
synchronization to represent movement speed, forcefulness, and bimanual
coordination. Patients with schizophrenia showed slower and less forceful
unimanual movements and less coordinated bimanual movements than control
participants. Increasing the object size elicited faster and more forceful
unimanual movements and more coordinated bimanual movements in patients. The
results suggest the need for movement rehabilitation in patients with
schizophrenia and the possibility of manipulating object size to optimize
patients' movements. These results benefit the practice of evidence-based
therapy.
CI - Copyright (c) 2014 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Langue : ANGLAIS