Investigating the neuropsychological features of hoarding disorder using a novel virtual reality paradigm

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Hoarding disorder is a significant mental health concern with poorly understood neuropsychological underpinnings.
• Existing research on cognitive deficits in hoarding disorder yields mixed results, potentially due to low ecological validity of assessment tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate information processing (memory, attention, decision-making, categorization) in hoarding disorder.
• To enhance ecological validity by employing novel virtual reality (VR) environments for cognitive assessments.

Main Methods:

• Recruited two groups: individuals with hoarding disorder (n=36) and without (n=40), matched for age and gender.
• Administered standardized and novel VR-based memory and decision-making tasks.
• Assessed categorization efficiency using a VR home office environment.

Main Results:

• The hoarding disorder group reported higher attentional difficulties associated with ADHD symptoms.
• Poorer category efficiency and trait memory confidence were observed in the hoarding group.
• No significant impairments in memory or decision-making tasks specific to hoarding disorder were found.

Conclusions:

• Findings contribute to understanding the cognitive-behavioral aspects of hoarding disorder.
• Results have implications for developing targeted treatments and advancing VR research in hoarding disorder.