Spatial-memory deficit in schizophrenia spectrum disorders under viewpoint-independent demands in the virtual courtyard task

Abstract

This study builds upon our previous work indicating that impaired hippocampal-dependent forms of memory are core to schizophrenia. Using a virtual-reality courtyard task, we presented participants with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD; n = 20) and a healthy community comparison group (n = 20) with objects to remember within a town square, followed by a recognition test of the location of objects from either the same viewpoint or a shifted viewpoint relative to initial presentation. The SSD group demonstrated a relative deficit under shifted- compared to same-view conditions. These findings provide further support for deficient hippocampal-dependent cognition in SSD.