Eye-Head Coordination in Schizophrenia

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: Little is known about the affect of schizophrenia on head movements. We have investigated head movements in schizophrenic subjects during simple visual tasks. Methods: A high-resolution infrared tracker (250 Hz) was used to record eye and head movements during saccades, antisaccades, smooth pursuit (20° and 40°/s), and reading tasks in 17 schizophrenic subjects and 17 age-matched controls. Results: Schizophrenic subjects made significantly larger head movements during both smooth pursuit paradigms and the antisaccadic task (P<0.05). However, during the saccadic task or reading head movements were similar to controls. Schizophrenics showed eye movement abnormalities during saccadic tasks (saccades, antisaccades and reading) but not during smooth pursuit. Conclusions: Our results confirm previously described eye movement deficits. We have demonstrated that schizophrenics show abnormal head movements during smooth pursuit and antisaccadic tasks. These may provide an important biological marker.

Keywords: eye movements: saccades and pursuits