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Smooth-pursuit eye movement dysfunction and liability for schizophrenia: implications for genetic modeling
B A Clementz1, W M Grove, W G Iacono
1University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455-0344.
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
|February 1, 1992
Summary
Oculomotor dysfunction in schizophrenia families suggests genetic heterogeneity. This eye movement abnormality may help identify genetic factors contributing to schizophrenia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Genetics
Background:
- Schizophrenia is a complex psychiatric disorder with a significant genetic component.
- Oculomotor functioning abnormalities have been observed in individuals with schizophrenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of oculomotor functioning in families with schizophrenia.
- To explore the genetic underpinnings of the relationship between oculomotor dysfunction and schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Studied oculomotor functioning in 38 schizophrenia probands, 99 relatives, and 41 nonpsychiatric controls.
- Analyzed familial resemblance patterns and phenotypic correlations.
Main Results:
- Oculomotor functioning showed bimodal distribution in probands and relatives.
- Oculomotor dysfunction was not universal in all families but showed phenotypic correlations with schizophrenia-related traits when present.
- Familial resemblance suggested nonadditive genetic variance for oculomotor dysfunction and its link to clinical symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Schizophrenia may be etiologically heterogeneous.
- Oculomotor dysfunction could serve as a biomarker for identifying nonadditive genetic variance in schizophrenia.