Smooth pursuit eye movements of patients with schizophrenia and affective disorder during clinical treatment.
BACKGROUND
Smooth pursuit eye movement dysfunctions are considered a biological indicator for vulnerability to schizophrenia. This study examines test-retest stability of specific eye movement variables such as velocity gain and different saccadic categories.


METHODS
Smooth pursuit eye movements of 27 schizophrenic patients and 30 patients with major depression were examined three times during clinical treatment using high-resolution infrared oculography. Forty-one normal controls were retested after four weeks.


RESULTS
Intraclass correlation coefficients as a measure for retest-stability were highly significant in each group for all time-points, except for anticipatory saccades in schizophrenics. No significant correlations were found between psychopathological status, neuroleptic medication and eye movement variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that the most important measures of eye tracking performance in psychiatric patients are not significantly influenced by neuroleptic medication or clinical state and are stable across time.
Flechtner
Klaus-Malte
KM
Psychiatrische Klinik und Poliklinik der Freien Universität Berlin, Abteilung für Sozialpsychiatrie. malte.flechtner@nemhpt.nhs.uk
Steinacher
Bruno
B
Sauer
Robert
R
Mackert
Arthur
A
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004585:Electrooculography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012438:Saccades / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents