The use of eye movement dysfunctions in exploring the genetic transmission of schizophrenia

Eye movement dysfunctions have been found in a large number of schizophrenic patients and in about half of their first-degree relatives. The distribution of these traits within the families of schizophrenic patients suggests a model of genetic transmission that fits an autosomal dominant model, which we have called the "genetic latent trait model." The model, with seven parameters, was fitted to a U.S. population and the model was cross-validated on an independent Norwegian sample. Although the model does not invalidate other, more conventional solutions to the puzzle of schizophrenic transmission, such as multifactorial transmission, the latent trait model does more easily permit linkage studies and therefore will allow refutation or support from the use of molecular genetics techniques.