MEDICATED CHRONIC-SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS DO NOT DEMONSTRATE LEFT TURNING ASYMMETRY

Twenty-seven medicated chronic schizophrenic female patients were test ed for right or left turning behavior. No substantial right or left as ymmetry was found, nor did the addition of the indirect dopaminergic a gonist amantadine influence these results. Previous studies demonstrat ed left circling preference in chronic unmedicated schizophrenics and it seems that this previous finding is abolished by neuroleptic treatm ent. However, our patients were all females and further research with a heterogenous group of schizophrenic patients is needed.