title: Improvement of exploratory eye movements in schizophrenic patients during recovery period.
abstract: In the present paper exploratory eye movements were examined as biologic markers in both acute schizophrenic patients (acute patients discharged after approximately 3 months and treated as outpatients, n = 8; acute patients who were still in hospital after 6 months, n = 8) and chronic schizophrenic patients (hospital stay >5 years, n = 15) in comparison with age-matched healthy subjects (n = 30). Using an eye-mark recorder, exploratory eye movements were analyzed for mean gazing time (MGT), and total eye scanning length (TESL) as subjects viewed six simple pictures in preparation for copying them. In acute schizophrenic patients discharged after 6 months (DP), MGT became significantly shorter and TESL became longer after 3 or 6 months treatment. In acute schizophrenic patients during admission after 6 months, TESL became longer after 3 or 6 months of treatment. However, no significant changes were observed in chronic patients in these measures. In schizophrenic patients, negative symptom scores were positively correlated with MGT (r = 0.43; P < 0.001), and negatively correlated with TESL (r = -45; P < 0.001). These findings suggest that exploratory eye movements are a biologic state and trait marker useful for evaluation of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, Kyushu University of Health and Welfare, Miyazaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Kiichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Keiichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Sou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Hisao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maeda
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D015415:Biomarkers; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003289:Convalescence; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005133:Eye Movements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009949:Orientation; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011930:Reaction Time; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers