Volume 14, Issue 4 (Winter 2013)                   Advances in Cognitive Sciences 2013, 14(4): 39-48 | Back to browse issues page

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1- Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, College of Education and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
2- M. A. in Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, College of Education and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Abstract:   (3471 Views)
Objective: A number of investigators believe that the contrast sensitivity, doubling frequency and temporal-spatial task deficits observed in patients with schizophrenia pertain to the abnormality in their magnocellular visual pathway. Nevertheless, whether this abnormality is perhaps a liability marker or due to the illness process per se, remains unclear. This study investigated the performance of people with schizotypal characteristics in doubling frequency visual task to examine the possible traceable abnormality in magnocellular pathway in premorbid condition of schizophrenia.
Method: We examined the visual field in 30 cases of high schizotypy and 30 normal individuals using the advanced Humphrey automated perimetry equipment. The doubling frequency task scores of the two groups were compared using Student t-test analysis for independent groups.
Results: people with high schizotypy demonstrated lower performance in binocular doubling frequency visual task as compared to normal controls.
Conclusion: Our findings indicated a deficit in magnocellular pathway in people with high schizotypy. Current results support the idea that magnocellular pathway dysfunction is a vulnerability trait independent of disease course, medication or the severity of symptom.
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Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2012/08/22 | Accepted: 2012/10/22 | Published: 2012/12/21

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