DIFFERENCES OF CEREBRAL LATERALIZATION AMONG SCHIZOPHRENIC AND DEPRESSED-PATIENTS

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 14  (5) , 721-733
Abstract
Conjugate lateral eye movements (LEM) were used as a measure of contralateral frontal hemisphere activation when individuals carry out reflective tasks. In a previous study, schizophrenics produced significantly more R[right]-LEM than controls suggesting that they use the left hemisphere in general more often than controls when initiating thought. Schizophrenics initiated thought on spatial emotional material in their left hemisphere more often than normals. A sample of 13 schizophrenics was contrasted first with the original schizophrenic sample, and then with 13 psychotic depressives and with the original controls. Other group comparisons are reported. The original findings of increased R-LEM (i.e., increased left hemisphere activity) and the excessive processing of spatial and to a lesser extent emotional material in the left hemisphere of schizophrenics were replicated. Psychotic depressives initiated reflective tasks more often in their right hemisphere than the schizophrenic or the original sample of normal controls. Significant group differences among schizophrenics, normal controls and psychotically depressed patients were obtained. The data are consistent with emerging concepts of a left hemisphere locus of disturbance in schizophrenia and right hemisphere disturbance in affective disorders.