Saccadic eye movements, schizotypy, and the role of neuroticism.
We investigated the relationships of anti- and prosaccades with psychometric schizotypy. One aim was to estimate the role of negative emotionality and general psychopathology (i.e. neuroticism) in this relationship. 115 non-clinical volunteers underwent infrared oculographic assessment of antisaccades and prosaccades. Schizotypy was assessed with the Personality Syndrome Questionnaire (PSQ-80), the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC), and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R) Psychoticism. Higher positive schizotypy scores predicted increased antisaccade errors (RISC) and greater prosaccade spatial error (PSQ-80 Unreality). Greater thought disorder (PSQ-80 Activity) predicted shorter prosaccade latencies. EPQ-R Neuroticism was substantially correlated with schizotypy but was not related to saccadic measures and did not account for their relationship with schizotypy. We conclude that saccadic performance patterns in schizotypy are not due to negative emotionality or general psychopathology, but specific to schizophrenia spectrum signs and symptoms.
Department of Psychology, McGill University, Stewart Biological Sciences Building, 1205 Dr Penfield Ave, Montreal, Que., Canada H3A 1B1. ulrich@ego.psych.mcgill.ca
Ulrich
U
Ettinger
Veena
V
Kumari
Trevor J
TJ
Crawford
Vanja
V
Flak
Tonmoy
T
Sharma
Robert E
RE
Davis
Philip J
PJ
Corr
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D012438:Saccades / Q000502:physiology*; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index