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Development of a cognitive function assessment tool based on psychomotor function tests in patients with
Yuma Shimizu1, Ippei Takeuchi2,3, Masakazu Hatano2,4
1Office of Clinical Pharmacy Practice and Health Care Management, Graduate School of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Schizophrenia Research. Cognition
|September 25, 2025
Summary
A new Psychomotor Function Test (PFT) shows promise for assessing cognitive function in schizophrenia patients. PFT scores correlate with standard neuropsychological tests and social functioning, suggesting its clinical utility.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Cognitive dysfunction significantly impacts social functioning and employment in schizophrenia patients.
- Current neuropsychological assessments are impractical for routine clinical use due to time, patient burden, and training requirements.
- There is a need for simple, efficient tools to evaluate cognitive function in schizophrenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between a novel Psychomotor Function Test (PFT) and established Neuropsychological Tests (NT).
- To assess the relationship between PFT results and social functioning evaluated by the Life Assessment Scale for the Mentally Ill (LASMI).
- To determine the potential of PFT as a practical tool for routine cognitive assessment in schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- 24 schizophrenia patients and 24 healthy controls (HCs) were assessed.
- Cognitive function was evaluated using NT (Japanese Adult Reading Test, Trail Making Test (TMT), word fluency) and tablet-based PFT.
- Social functioning was assessed using LASMI.
Main Results:
- Schizophrenia patients exhibited significantly worse psychomotor function than HCs (p < 0.001).
- PFT composite scores correlated significantly with TMT performance (r = -0.707, -0.637).
- PFT scores showed significant correlations with LASMI subscales related to work, endurance, self-recognition, skills, and retention (r values ranging from -0.420 to -0.689).
Conclusions:
- Psychomotor Function Tests (PFT) demonstrate a strong correlation with existing Neuropsychological Tests (NT).
- Cognitive function assessed by PFT is closely associated with social functioning in schizophrenia.
- PFT shows potential as a valuable tool for routine cognitive evaluation in clinical settings for schizophrenia patients.
