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Eye-hand preference in schizophrenia: sex differences and significance for hand function
Yi-Chia Liu1, Yen Kuang Yang, I Hui Lee
1Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Medical College and Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
Perceptual and Motor Skills
|August 5, 2004
Summary
Schizophrenia patients exhibit higher rates of left-eye dominance compared to controls. Female schizophrenic patients show the highest prevalence of non-right eye dominance, influencing hand performance.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Hand preference and eye dominance are lateralization traits.
- Altered brain lateralization is hypothesized in schizophrenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate hand preference and eye dominance in schizophrenia patients.
- To compare these lateralization patterns with healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Assessed hand preference and eye dominance in 73 schizophrenia patients and 71 healthy controls.
- Utilized the Purdue Pegboard Test for hand performance analysis.
Main Results:
- Both groups showed significant right-hand dominance.
- Schizophrenia patients exhibited significantly more left-eye dominance (65.8% vs 29.6%).
- Female schizophrenic patients had higher non-right eye dominance (80%) than males (55.8%) and controls (33.3%).
- Patients with crossed eye-hand dominance performed better on the Purdue Pegboard Test.
Conclusions:
- Schizophrenia is associated with altered eye-hand dominance patterns, particularly increased left-eye dominance.
- Gender differences in eye dominance exist within the schizophrenia population.
- Crossed eye-hand dominance may correlate with specific cognitive or motor functions in schizophrenia.