A new dimension of sensory dysfunction: stereopsis deficits in schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
Schizophrenia is a neurocognitive disorder with a wide range of cognitive and sensory impairments. Early visual processing has been shown to be especially impaired. This article investigates the integrity of binocular depth perception (stereopsis) in schizophrenia.


METHODS
Seventeen schizophrenia patients and 19 healthy control subjects were compared on the Graded Circles Stereo Test. Results of stereoacuity were compared between patients and control subjects using t test.


RESULTS
Schizophrenia patients demonstrated significantly (p = .006) reduced stereoacuity (mean = 142 arcseconds) versus control subjects (mean = 55 arcseconds). At the normative level for adults, patients performed below chance.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate an impairment of binocular depth perception and further confirm deficits of early visual processing in schizophrenia. Findings are discussed in context of magnocellular/dorsal stream processing with implications for visual processing and cognitive deficits.
Schechter
Isaac
I
Program in Cognitive Neuroscience and Schizophrenia, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York 10962, USA. Schechter@nki.rfmh.org
Butler
Pamela D
PD
Jalbrzikowski
Maria
M
Pasternak
Roey
R
Saperstein
Alice M
AM
Javitt
Daniel C
DC
D000328:Adult; D003867:Depth Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications*; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric