Blink rate, neurocognitive impairments, and symptoms in schizophrenia.

This study addresses the relationship between blink rate (as a measure of central dopaminergic activity), symptoms, neuropsychological performance, as well as neurological signs in schizophrenia. Blink rate between schizophrenic patients and a matched control group was compared in both "relaxed" and "attentive" conditions. Blink rate was increased in schizophrenic patients in the "relaxed" condition but not in the "attentive" condition. The relationship between blink rate and clinical variables was examined in a larger sample of 204 patients. In both "relaxed" and "attentive" conditions, blink rate was related to "hallucinations," "anxiety," negative symptoms, and neuroleptic dosage. Attention was a significant predictor only in the "relaxed" condition. No other significant correlation was found between blink rate, neuropsychological impairments, and neurological signs. These findings suggest that blink rate is not related to neurocognitive impairments in schizophrenia.