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Eye movements and neurocognitive function in treatment resistant schizophrenia: a pilot study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Annette Thampi ,
Clarke Campbell ,
Mary Clarke ,
Suzanne Barrett  and
David J King
Annette Thampi
Affiliation:
Department of Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Queen's University, Belfast, and Holywell Hospital, Antrim, Northern Ireland (now: The Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre (EPPIC), Parkville, Victoria, Australia)
Clarke Campbell
Affiliation:
Department of Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Queen's University, and Holywell Hospital, Antrim (now: Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, Northern Ireland)
Mary Clarke
Affiliation:
Holywell Hospital, Antrim, Northern Ireland
Suzanne Barrett
Affiliation:
Department of Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
David J King
Affiliation:
Department of Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
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Abstract

Objectives: It is increasingly important to develop predictors of treatment response and outcome in schizophrenia. Neuropsychological impairments, particularly those reflecting frontal lobe function, appear to predict poor outcome. Eye movement abnormalities probably also reflect frontal lobe deficits. We wished to see if these two aspects of schizophrenia were correlated and whether they could distinguish a treatment resistant from a treatment responsive group.

Methods: Ten treatment resistant schizophrenic patients were compared with ten treatment responsive patients on three eye movement paradigms (reflexive saccades, antisaccades and smooth pursuit), clinical psychopathology (BPRS, SANS and CGI) and a neuropsychological test battery designed to detect frontal lobe dysfunction. Ten aged-matched controls also carried out the eye movement tasks.

Results: Both treatment responsive (p = 0.038) and treatment resistant (p = 0.007) patients differed significantly from controls on the antisaccade task. The treatment resistant group had a higher error rate than the treatment responsive group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Similar poor neuropsychological test performance was found in both groups.

Conclusions: To demonstrate the biological differences characteristic of treatment resistance, larger sample sizes and wider differences in outcome between the two groups are necessary.

Keywords

AntisaccadesSmooth pursuitNeuropsychologyTreatment resistanceSchizophrenia
Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , March 2003 , pp. 6 - 10
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

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