Prefrontal activation during simulated driving in people with schizophrenia: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study

People with schizophrenia (PWS) could be at risk when driving, yet this remains to be confirmed. In this study, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and a driving simulator to assess potential driving skill difficulties as reflected by brain activity in PWS and compared them with those of healthy controls (HCs). Twenty PWS and 20 HCs were evaluated. Four tasks were performed: 50-kph and 100-kph sudden braking and 50-kph left and right curve tasks. The hemodynamic activity and driving performance of the two groups were compared. No significant differences were found in the performance of the four tasks. However, significant differences in hemodynamic activity were observed in the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during the 100kph sudden braking task. In addition, a significant negative correlation was found between brake reaction time and brain activity in the left DLPFC during the 100-kph sudden braking task in both groups. The brain mechanisms involved in processing the mental load associated with driving a car are possibly similar in PWS and HCs. Our results suggest that PWS may be able to drive their vehicles safely in the community.