Using virtual environments in the assessment of executive dysfunction

A study is reported into the role of virtual environments in the assessment of patients with executive dysfunction. Five patients and five matched con trols entered the study. The patients did not differ significantly from nor mative values on the standard executive dysfunction measure, the Behavioura l Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome battery (Wilson, Alderman, Burges s, Emslie, & Evans, 1996); however, care staff reported the patients had pr oblems planning. Patients and controls undertook both real and virtual envi ronment multiple-errand planning tasks. The patients completed significantl y fewer errands, and produced significantly worse plans than did controls i n both the real and virtual environments. There was a significant correlati on between performance in the real and virtual environments. The results su ggest that virtual environments may provide a valid means of assessing plan ning impairments and that there may be patients with executive dysfunction (specifically planning deficits) that may not be detected by the currently available standardized tests.