Limited eye movement patterns in chronic schizophrenic patients

Psychiatry Res. 1989 Jun;28(3):307-14. doi: 10.1016/0165-1781(89)90211-4.

Abstract

Eye movements of 29 chronic schizophrenic patients and 23 normal control subjects were measured by an eye mark recorder during viewing of stationary geometric figures. The results suggested that the eye movements of schizophrenic patients were more limited than those of normal control subjects and that the abnormal eye movement inspection patterns in schizophrenic patients may reflect a lack of visual investigation of novel stimuli in the environment. Our findings, together with Moriya's (1979) observation of similar eye movement pattern abnormalities in the relatives of schizophrenic patients, support the hypothesis that the limited eye movement patterns may be a biological marker for schizophrenia.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Attention / drug effects
  • Discrimination Learning / drug effects
  • Eye Movements* / drug effects
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Recall / drug effects
  • Middle Aged
  • Psychomotor Performance / drug effects
  • Schizophrenia / diagnosis*
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy
  • Schizophrenic Psychology*

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents