Eye movements in psychiatric patients

The study of eye movements in psychiatric disorders reflects two primary avenues of scientific investigation: 1) a search for valid markers that could identify risk for developing an illness, and 2) investigation into the neurobiological correlates of serious mental illness. The two types of eye movements most frequently studied for these purposes are smooth pursuit and saccades. The following summary provides information on deficits commonly reported in people with severe psychiatric conditions, along with any putative effects of psychiatric medications. When available, information about eye movement performance in the biological relatives of people with psychiatric illness also is reviewed. Finally, a brief synopsis of the neural substrates of eye movement abnormalities in psychiatric disorders is presented.