A New Dimension of Sensory Dysfunction: Stereopsis Deficits in Schizophrenia

Background Schizophrenia is a neurocognitive disorder with a wide range of cognitive and sensory impairments. Early visual processing has been shown to be especially impaired. This article investigates the integrity of binocular depth perception (stereopsis) in schizophrenia. Methods Seventeen schizophrenia patients and 19 healthy control subjects were compared on the Graded Circles Stereo Test. Results of stereoacuity were compared between patients and control subjects using t test. Results Schizophrenia patients demonstrated significantly (p = .006) reduced stereoacuity (mean = 142 arcseconds) versus control subjects (mean = 55 arcseconds). At the normative level for adults, patients performed below chance. Conclusions These findings demonstrate an impairment of binocular depth perception and further confirm deficits of early visual processing in schizophrenia. Findings are discussed in context of magnocellular/dorsal stream processing with implications for visual processing and cognitive deficits.