Eye tracking disturbances in schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
To study the frequency of different types of eye tracking disturbances in schizophrenia.


METHODS
Smooth pursuit eye movements were studied by electro-oculography (EOG) in 22 schizophrenic patients (ICD-10 criteria) and 15 age and sex-matched controls. The studied parameters included average pursuit gain, number of saccades, the frequency of different types of saccades (catch-up, back-up, anticipatory saccades), and disturbances during fixation. The results were analysed statistically.


RESULTS
The average pursuit gain was significantly affected in patients for target velocity of 30 degrees/sec (p = 0.007). The catch-up and back-up saccades were more common in cases than controls but the difference was not significant (p = 0.39 and 0.36 respectively). The anticipatory saccades were significantly more frequent in cases than controls (p < 0.0001) for both 15 degrees/sec and 30 degrees/sec target velocities. This was also correlated with the duration of illness.


CONCLUSIONS
Anticipatory saccades are significantly more frequent during eye tracking in schizophrenia and appear to be an objective marker for the disease.
Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi-110 029, India.
P
P
Sharma
B S
BS
Aslam
S
S
Saxena
D000328:Adult; D004585:Electrooculography; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015835:Ocular Motility Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*