Rw. Grawe et S. Levander, SMOOTH-PURSUIT EYE-MOVEMENTS AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL IMPAIRMENTS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA, Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica, 92(2), 1995, pp. 108-114
Smooth pursuit eye movements (SPEM) and neuropsychological performance
were examined in a sample of 29 drug-treated schizophrenic patients a
nd 22 healthy controls. Patients had impairment in SPEM as well as in
a wide range of neuropsychological tests (Wechsler Adult Intelligence
Scale, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Finger Tapping, Reaction time, Sel
ective attention, Trail-Making and Simultaneous Capacity). Performance
indices were more affected than strategy-executive indices. Drug type
(clozapine vs typical) and dose (chlorpromazine units) were not relat
ed to neuropsychological impairment among the patients. Indices from t
he whole range of tests accurately predicted a subjects' group identit
y (patient vs control). Impaired SPEM was predicted more accurately by
tests assessing frontal functions. Seven patients, all men, had only
marginal neuropsychological impairments.