SMOOTH-PURSUIT EYE-MOVEMENT AND SACCADIC INTRUSIONS IN OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER

Although several reports agree that smooth-pursuit eye movement (SPEM) is abnormal in some obsessive-compulsive disordered (OCD) patients, d ifferences between treatments and lack of accuracy in control selectio n make the results controversial. Although reduced gain seems the most accepted abnormality, the characteristics of saccadic disruption of s mooth pursuit are as yet unspecified. SPEMs in 21 OCD patients (DSM-II I-R) and 21 healthy subjects recruited from the community were studied through a multiple target velocity task. The two groups were individu ally matched on age, gender, and level of education. None of the subje cts had a history of substance dependence apart from the smokers who r efrained from smoking in the 2 hours prior to the test. A significantl y lower SPEM gain and increased number and frequency of anticipatory s accades (ASs) was found in OCD patients as compared with control subje cts. No relationship emerged between eye movement abnormalities and cl inical variables explored. (C) 1996 Society of Biological Psychiatry