The magnocellular visual system and schizophrenia: what can the color red tell us?
Previous research has suggested that genetic loading for schizophrenia is related to a dysfunctional magnocellular (M) subcortical visual pathway-responsible for processing movement and location. However, data substantiating this mechanism remains inconclusive. The present study used a novel technique to selectively suppress the M system in order to investigate the impact of genetic loading for schizophrenia on its functioning. A visual backward masking task was administered to 28 healthy first-degree relatives of persons with schizophrenia and 31 healthy controls. The task was administered on both a red and neutral background, as diffuse red light has been shown to selectively suppress the M system in basic vision research. On a location condition of backward masking, controls demonstrated reduced accuracy on the red compared to the neutral background. In contrast, relatives did not display differential performance between the two backgrounds. The differential effect on the two groups appears to be attributable to a difference in activity of the M pathway. Performance in the relatives was consistent with the notion of a hyperactive M pathway.
Bedwell
Jeffrey S
JS
Psychology Department, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. jbedwell@arches.uga.edu
Brown
James M
JM
Miller
L Stephen
LS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003118:Color Perception / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000151:congenital / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D040741:Genetic Load; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010470:Perceptual Masking / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*