Related Experiment Videos
Eye-tracking dysfunction in offspring from the New York High-Risk Project: diagnostic specificity and the role of
D R Rosenberg1, J A Sweeney, E Squires-Wheeler
1Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA 15213-2593, USA.
Insights
Eye tracking deficits in offspring of schizophrenic and depressed parents were studied. High anticipatory saccade rates may indicate schizophrenia risk, possibly linked to attention deficits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Genetics
Background:
- Eye tracking abnormalities are observed in relatives of individuals with schizophrenia.
- Familial specificity of these abnormalities requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the familial specificity of eye tracking abnormalities in offspring of schizophrenic, unipolar depressed, and bipolar probands.
- To identify potential biological markers for schizophrenia risk.
Main Methods:
- Studied eye tracking performance in offspring of probands from the New York High-Risk Project.
- Measured global performance deficits using spectral purity and anticipatory saccade rates.
- Assessed the impact of attention facilitation on performance.
Main Results:
- Offspring of both schizophrenic and depressed probands showed global performance deficits.
- Only offspring of schizophrenic probands exhibited an increased rate of intrusive anticipatory saccades.
- Attention facilitation normalized performance deficits in offspring of schizophrenic patients.
Conclusions:
- An increased anticipatory saccade rate appears to be a more specific biological marker for schizophrenia risk than global performance deficits.
- Difficulties in sustaining focused visual attention may contribute to eye tracking deficits in relatives of individuals with schizophrenia.
Abstract:
Eye tracking abnormalities were studied in the offspring of schizophrenic, unipolar depressed and bipolar probands from the New York High-Risk Project to examine their familial specificity. Offspring of schizophrenic and depressed probands both had significant global performance deficits based on spectral purity measurements, but only the offspring of schizophrenic probands had an increased rate of intrusive anticipatory saccades. The greater specificity of high anticipatory saccade rate than global performance impairment suggests that this eye movement abnormality may provide a more specific biological marker of risk for schizophrenia than the global measure of eye tracking performance used in this study. Attention facilitation effectively normalized all performance deficits in the offspring of schizophrenic patients, suggesting that a problem sustaining focused visual attention may contribute to eye tracking deficits observed in the relatives of schizophrenic probands.