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Abstract:
Visual scanpaths to pictures of facial affect were recorded
in paranoid schizophrenic patient CB (female, age 25 years) during
an acute psychotic episode and later during remission of florid
symptomatology (following six months treatment with risperidone,
8mg/day). Delusional state was assessed at both testing times using
the Peters et al., Delusions Inventory (PDI). At test time one, CB
endorsed 18 of 21 items on the PDI, and presented with severe
persecutory delusions of 'alien' control, delusions of reference,
grandiose delusions of religious theme, thought broadcast, and
thought insertion; PDI distress, preoccupation, and conviction
scores were 62, 74, and 84, respectively (max. for each: 105).
Severe disturbances in scanning strategies were demonstrated at
test time one, characterized by minimal fixations and the tendency
to avoid gazing at facial features, with the point of fixation most
often directed away from the face, regardless of emotional
expression. At testing time 2, CB endorsed 6 of 21 items on the
PDI, and reported similarly reduced levels of distress (18),
preoccupation (7), and conviction (11) about her beliefs. Viewing
abnormalities were less dramatic during the second test session,
comprising a relative increase in the number of fixations,
increased scan path length, and a more 'normalised' pattern of
viewing facial features. These results support the state-dependent
status of visual scanpath abnormalities in relation to
schizophrenic delusions.
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