Eye-tracking dysfunction (ETD) in families with sporadic and familial schizophrenia

Rebekka Lencer*, Carsten P. Malchow, Katja Trillenberg-Krecker, Eberhard Schwinger, Volker Arolt

*Corresponding author for this work
26 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Within the field of genetic schizophrenia research, eye-tracking dysfunction can be regarded as a putative trait marker in families with multiple occurrences of the disease (familial schizophrenia). We concentrated on families with single occurrences of schizophrenia (sporadic schizophrenia) to test whether a genetic factor may be present in these families as well. Methods: Eye movements were recorded using infrared oculography in eight families with sporadic schizophrenia (44 members), eight families with familial schizophrenia (66 members), and nine nonpsychotic families (77 members). Triangle-wave stimuli at 15°/sec and 30°/sec were used, and gains (eye velocity/target velocity), rates, and amplitudes of saccades (classified as catch-up and anticipatory saccades) were determined. Results: 1) In sporadic-schizophrenia families, gain values, saccade rates, and anticipatory saccade amplitudes at 30°/sec differed in a statistically significant fashion from nonpsychotic families, but not from families with multiple occurrences of schizophrenia, and 2) at 30°/sec, a significant effect of target direction on smooth-pursuit maintenance was observed in both sporadic- and familial-schizophrenia families. Conclusions: Our results support the hypothesis that genetic factors may be present even in sporadic-schizophrenia families and may contribute to a more precise and biologically based definition of the schizophrenia phenotype in future molecular genetic analysis. Copyright (C) 2000 Society of Biological Psychiatry.

Original languageEnglish
JournalBiological Psychiatry
Volume47
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)391-401
Number of pages11
ISSN0006-3223
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.03.2000

Research Areas and Centers

  • Academic Focus: Center for Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM)

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