Abnormal-pursuit eye movements in schizophrenia. Evidence for a genetic indicator

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1977 Jul;34(7):802-5. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1977.01770190064005.

Abstract

Disordered smooth-pursuit eye movements occur in a high percentage of schizophrenic patients and their first-degree relatives. A Test of the hypothesis that these disorders represent a genetic indicator of schizophrenia was undertaken by testing pursuit eye movements in a sample of monozygotic and dizygotic twins discordant for clinical schizophrenia. Deviant eye tracking is significantly concordant within monozygotic twin pairs, and less so with dizygotic twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia. A genetic interpretation is consistent with these results.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Disease Susceptibility
  • Diseases in Twins
  • Electronystagmography
  • Eye Movements*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pregnancy
  • Schizophrenia / genetics*
  • Social Environment
  • Twins, Dizygotic
  • Twins, Monozygotic