JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Cognitive impairments are enduring characteristics and core deficits in patients with schizophrenia. Existing assessment tools have shortcomings in the aspects of ecological assessment, immersion and fun assessment when assessing the cognitive function. Virtual reality (VR) technologies and serious games have shown potential in these aspects.

Objective:

Exploring whether a VR serious game system can assess cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia during the stable phase.

Methods:

We explored the application of a VR serious game system, integrating VR technology and serious game, in assessing cognitive functions in patients with schizophrenia (SZs). Forty-two patients with SZs and sixty-five healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. The system recorded and scored the participants' performance in the VR serious game. We compared the performance between patients with SZs and HCs, and further explored its association with the scores by Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (B-CATS). Further, machine learning models were established to classify patients with SZs and HCs.

Results:

Significant differences were observed in the performances of VR serious game between the two groups. The performances of VR serious game was consistent with the scores by B-CATS, particularly in the SZs group. Machine learning models effectively classified patients with SZs and HCs based on results of VR serious game, with Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve areas of 0.804 using Logistic Regression Machine (LRM) model and 0.819 using Support Vector Machine (SVM) model.

Conclusions:

These findings emphasized the potential of utilizing VR serious game system as a cognitive assessment tool for patients with SZs at stable phase. Clinical Trial: None.