SMOOTH-PURSUIT EYE-MOVEMENT DYSFUNCTION IN SUBSTANCE-DEPENDENT PATIENTS - MEDIATING EFFECTS OF ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY-DISORDER

Smooth pursuit eye movements were evaluated in 21 healthy volunteers a nd 126 patients meeting criteria for one of the following DSM-III-R de pendence diagnoses: alcohol (n = 10), cocaine (n = 44), heroin (n = 34 ), or dual alcohol and cocaine (n = 38). A significant reduction in tr acking accuracy was found in the heroin and the dually dependent group s relative to controls. Interestingly, the eye movement dysfunction in the drug-dependent groups was no longer detectable when the effects o f antisocial personality disorder were statistically removed. The magn itude of the dysfunction also correlated with several antisocial perso nality-related features, including an increased number of criminal cha rges and months of incarceration, increased problems associated with d rug abuse, and lower intellectual functioning. The relationship demons trated presently between antisocial personality disorder and eye movem ent dysfunction may have implications beyond studies of substance depe ndence.