Unravelling the role of cognitive mechanisms in visuoconstruction: Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure reconsidered

Abstract

Abstract thesis

Background. Visuoconstruction is the ability to visualize an object or a picture as a set of parts and then to reproduce the original from these parts. It is implied that visuoconstruction is determined by multiple cognitive factors. To gain a more in-depth understanding of visuoconstruction, the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) was used. We investigated whether visuoconstruction is a unitary concept or whether it comprises the combination of other cognitive functions. Further, we examined whether drawing strategies of patients are related to performances on other cognitive tasks. Methods. One hundred and twenty-three neurologic patients were selected from the Neuropsychology database of the University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMCU). Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to assess the contribution of visuoperception, visual motor transformation and executive functions in visuoconstruction. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to assess whether patients with an impaired performance in proposed underlying components of drawing used a less efficient drawing strategy than patients with unimpaired performance. Results. Performances on executive functioning tasks did not impact ROCF performance, while performances on a visuoperception task and visual motor transformation task modestly impacted ROCF performance. Less efficient drawing strategies in the copy condition of the ROCF were related to impaired performances on working memory, inhibition and visual motor transformation measures. When drawing from memory no relationship was found. Conclusion. Our results suggest that visuoconstruction is a unitary concept. When copying the ROCF, we found the drawing strategy to be related to performance on working memory, inhibition and visual motor transformation tasks.