Eye Movement Responses of Heroin Addicts and Controls during Word and Object Recognition.

摘要

The eye movement responses of heroin addicts and matched controls were examined while they were engaged in word and object recognition tasks. Significant differences between the two groups were found which could be attributed to motivational or interest factors associated with the importance of the materials shown, and to basic differences in the physiological and central nervous system processes that regulate eye movements. Based on these findings together with earlier observations of differences in cutaneous sensitivity between addicts and controls, it was hypothesized that addiction may lead to an altered sensory capacity in the temporal domain which is concerned with gating and subsequent scanning of stimuli. The potential role of educational differences between the two groups was also discussed. (Author)