Eye movements in action disorganization syndrome: A single case analysis

• Published in: Visual cognition Vol. 19; no. 6; pp. 817 - 831
• Main Authors: Morady, K., Humphreys, G. W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hove Taylor & Francis Group 01.06.2011; Psychology Press
• Subjects: Action disorganization syndrome; Action schema; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; Eye movement; Eye tracking; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Medical sciences; Organic mental disorders. Neuropsychology; Perception; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Vision; Human; Nervous system diseases; Action; Frontal lobe; Scheme; Action schema; Central nervous system; Action disorganization syndrome; Experimental study; Eye movement; Encephalon; Cerebral disorder; Case study; Left hemisphere; Vision; Central nervous system disease; Perception; Eye tracking
• ISSN: 1350-6285; 1464-0716
• DOI: 10.1080/13506285.2011.588186

This study examines eye movements made by a patient with action disorganization syndrome (ADS) as everyday tasks are performed. Relative to both normal participants and control patients, the ADS patient showed normal time-locking of eye movements to the subsequent use of objects. However, there were proportionately more unrelated fixations, and more fixations concerned with locating objects irrelevant to the immediate action, compared with control participants. The data suggest a dissociation between normal eye movement patterns for control of visually guided actions such as reaching and grasping, and abnormal eye movements between object-related fixations. The implications for understanding ADS are discussed.