Eye movements during perception of pictures in chronic schizophrenia.

Abstract

SummaryUsing a device of our own built eye movements during the perception of some pictures were examined in 24 chronic schizophrenic and 20 normal subjects. While they were shown each of 4 pictures for 30 seconds, we plotted the points on which the subject's eyes fixed for a short time and observed their traces.We also recorded EOG during the eye closure for 17 cases of these schizophrenic subjects. Additional observations and comparison of eye movements during the perception with EOG findings led to the following conclusions:1. Concerning the degree of diffusion of the eye's fixation points, the moving range of the gaze in chronic schizophrenics was much more limited than in normal subjects.2. There was observed rather large number appearance of the small rapid eye movements with closed eyes in the schizophrenic subjects who showed limited moving range of eye's fixation points.Chronic schizophrenic patients probably look at a certain part vaguely. This may be due to their decreased motivation and lack of interest in trying to get information about the pictures and to cognize them.