Association of saccade duration and saccade acceleration/deceleration asymmetry during visually guided saccade in schizophrenia patients.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the difference between schizophrenia patients and normal controls on velocity and acceleration of saccade, by using the basic visually guided saccade (VGS) paradigm.


METHODS
Eighteen schizophrenia outpatients and fourteen normal controls participated in the VGS task. Multiple indicators, including amplitude, duration, velocity, latency, accuracy rate, acceleration, and deceleration were analyzed. Asymmetric acceleration index (AAI) was introduced to describe the difference between peak acceleration and peak deceleration. The correlation coefficient (RAD) of AAI and duration was computed to examine the difference between schizophrenia patients and normal controls.


RESULTS
No significant difference between patients and normal controls was found on amplitude, duration, latency, and accuracy rate. However, RAD values of schizophrenia patients were significantly lower than the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared to normal controls, association of saccade duration and saccade acceleration/deceleration asymmetry during visually guided saccade was lower in schizophrenia patients.
Division of Medical Psychology, Chinese PLA General Hospital and Medical School PLA, Beijing, China.
Hong
H
Cui
Division of Medical Psychology, Chinese PLA General Hospital and Medical School PLA, Beijing, China.
Xiao-Hui
XH
Liu
Department of Psychiatry, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Ke-Yong
KY
Wang
Department of Medical Psychology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Chun-Yan
CY
Zhu
Department of Psychiatry, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, Anhui, China; Department of Medical Psychology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Chen
C
Wang
Division of Medical Psychology, Chinese PLA General Hospital and Medical School PLA, Beijing, China; Department of Psychiatry, Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, Anhui, China; Department of Medical Psychology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Xin-Hui
XH
Xie
D000054:Acceleration; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012438:Saccades / Q000502:physiology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors