Frontiers in Psychiatry (Sep 2023)

When practice does not make a perfect - paradoxical learning curve in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder revealed by different serial reaction time task variants

  • Adrian Andrzej Chrobak,
  • Katarzyna Siuda-Krzywicka,
  • Zbigniew Soltys,
  • Sylwia Bielak,
  • Dominik Nowaczek,
  • Aleksandra Żyrkowska,
  • Aleksandra Żyrkowska,
  • Magdalena Fafrowicz,
  • Tadeusz Marek,
  • Ewa Pęcherzewska,
  • Jan Kużdżał,
  • Anna Starowicz-Filip,
  • Aleksandra Gorostowicz,
  • Dominika Dudek,
  • Marcin Siwek

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1238473
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

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IntroductionOur previous studies identified a paradoxical implicit motor learning curve in schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) patients. This study aimed to verify whether those previously observed deficits may be captured by a new version of the ambidextrous serial reaction time task (SRTT), prepared for use in the MRI.MethodsThis study involved 186 participants. A total of 97 participants (33 BD, 33 SZ, and 31 healthy controls, HCs) completed the original, unlimited time response variant of SRTT. A total of 90 individuals (30 BD, 30 SZ, and 30 HCs) underwent a newer, limited response time version of this procedure.ResultsThere was no significant difference in terms of implicit motor learning indices between both limited and unlimited response time SRTT. Compared to HCs, SZ, and BD patients presented decreased indices of implicit motor learning. Both clinical groups showed a paradoxical learning pattern that differed significantly from the HCs. Moreover, in the SZ group, the pattern depended on the hand performing SRTT.DiscussionThe limited response time SRTT variant allowed us to replicate the findings of disrupted implicit motor learning in SZ and BD. The use of this paradigm in further neuroimaging studies may help to determine the neuronal underpinnings of this cognitive dysfunction in the abovementioned clinical groups.

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