DELUSIONAL DISORDER AND EYE TRACKING DYSFUNCTION - PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE OF BIOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL HETEROGENEITY

This study used eye tracking movement tests to examine the relationshi ps between frontal field functions and clinical features. Smooth pursu it and voluntary saccadic eye movements were recorded and analyzed in 34 delusional disorder (DD) patients and in 40 normal subjects. The DD group differed significantly from the group of normal subjects in som e eye tracking performances. As reported in our previous study (Gambin i et al., 1993), DD patients showed abnormalities of voluntary saccadi c eye movements. In this study, we also found abnormal smooth pursuit eye movements, indicating a cerebral dysfunction similar to those dete cted in schizophrenic patients. Moreover, normal smooth pursuit eye mo vement performance in DD patients was related to remitted depressive m ood and probably to benefit from antipsychotic medications, thus suppo rting the idea of the biological and clinical heterogeneity of DD. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.