ASSOCIATION OF ABNORMAL SMOOTH-PURSUIT EYE-MOVEMENTS WITH THE DEFICITSYNDROME IN SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS

Objective: The author's goal was to test the hypothesis that abnormal smooth pursuit eye movements in schizophrenic patients are associated with the deficit syndrome. Method: The eye movements of 24 normal comp arison subjects, 32 patients with nondeficit schizophrenia, and 11 pat ients with deficit schizophrenia were tested with infrared oculography using fovea-petal step-ramp targets. Results: The group of schizophre nic patients had norma latency to pursuit onset, abnormally decreased open-loop acceleration, and abnormally decreased velocity during the p eriods of closed-loop acceleration and steady-state pursuit. The subgr oup of schizophrenic patients with the deficit syndrome had particular ly poor performance during the periods of open- and closed-loop accele ration. Conclusions: Patients with schizophrenia have abnormal smooth pursuit eye movements in response to a step-ramp stimulus, and the def ects are particularly pronounced in patients with the deficit syndrome . Abnormal smooth pursuit eye movements in schizophrenia and related d isorders have been consistently linked with primary and enduring negat ive symptoms.