Blink rates in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls: A meta-analysis

IF 3.6 2区医学 Q1 PSYCHIATRY

Schizophrenia Research Pub Date : 2025-04-03 DOI:10.1016/j.schres.2025.03.019

Johannes Reinau Windelborg Nielsen , Martin Dietz , Oskar Hougaard Jefsen

{"title":"Blink rates in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls: A meta-analysis","authors":"Johannes Reinau Windelborg Nielsen , Martin Dietz , Oskar Hougaard Jefsen","doi":"10.1016/j.schres.2025.03.019","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Eyeblink rates vary with cognitive states and may reflect dopaminergic activity. Early reports have found elevated blink rates in schizophrenia, potentially linked to hyperdopaminergia, but findings have been inconsistent. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of blink rates in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls and the impact of medication.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We registered a protocol for the review on PROSPERO. We searched PubMed, SCOPUS, and Embase, performed title- and abstract-screening, full-text screening, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment. We calculated meta-level effect sizes, assessed effect size heterogeneity, and tested for small-study effects.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We included 22 studies in the systematic review, of which 19 were included in the meta-analysis, comprising 632 patients and 791 healthy controls. Most studies had a high risk of bias, primarily due to lack of blinding and confounding by medication. Meta-analysis revealed an elevated blink rate in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls (Hedges' <em>g</em> = 0.48; 95 % CI [0.13,0.82]). Stratified meta-analyses revealed elevated blink rates in unmedicated patients with schizophrenia compared with healthy controls (Hedges' <em>g</em> = 0.83; 95 % CI [0.34, 1.31]), but not in medicated patients compared with controls (Hedges' <em>g</em> = −0.09; 95 % CI [−0.64, 0.46]).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Blink rates are elevated in unmedicated patients with schizophrenia, but not medicated patients compared to healthy controls. These findings underscore further research of the link between blink rates, central dopamine, and schizophrenia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21417,"journal":{"name":"Schizophrenia Research","volume":"279 ","pages":"Pages 87-93"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Schizophrenia Research","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0920996425000829","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHIATRY","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Eyeblink rates vary with cognitive states and may reflect dopaminergic activity. Early reports have found elevated blink rates in schizophrenia, potentially linked to hyperdopaminergia, but findings have been inconsistent. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of blink rates in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls and the impact of medication.

Methods

We registered a protocol for the review on PROSPERO. We searched PubMed, SCOPUS, and Embase, performed title- and abstract-screening, full-text screening, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment. We calculated meta-level effect sizes, assessed effect size heterogeneity, and tested for small-study effects.

Results

We included 22 studies in the systematic review, of which 19 were included in the meta-analysis, comprising 632 patients and 791 healthy controls. Most studies had a high risk of bias, primarily due to lack of blinding and confounding by medication. Meta-analysis revealed an elevated blink rate in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls (Hedges' g = 0.48; 95 % CI [0.13,0.82]). Stratified meta-analyses revealed elevated blink rates in unmedicated patients with schizophrenia compared with healthy controls (Hedges' g = 0.83; 95 % CI [0.34, 1.31]), but not in medicated patients compared with controls (Hedges' g = −0.09; 95 % CI [−0.64, 0.46]).

Conclusion

Blink rates are elevated in unmedicated patients with schizophrenia, but not medicated patients compared to healthy controls. These findings underscore further research of the link between blink rates, central dopamine, and schizophrenia.

查看原文本刊更多论文

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Schizophrenia Research 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

7.50

自引率

8.90%

发文量

429

审稿时长

10.2 weeks

期刊介绍： As official journal of the Schizophrenia International Research Society (SIRS) Schizophrenia Research is THE journal of choice for international researchers and clinicians to share their work with the global schizophrenia research community. More than 6000 institutes have online or print (or both) access to this journal - the largest specialist journal in the field, with the largest readership! Schizophrenia Research''s time to first decision is as fast as 6 weeks and its publishing speed is as fast as 4 weeks until online publication (corrected proof/Article in Press) after acceptance and 14 weeks from acceptance until publication in a printed issue. The journal publishes novel papers that really contribute to understanding the biology and treatment of schizophrenic disorders; Schizophrenia Research brings together biological, clinical and psychological research in order to stimulate the synthesis of findings from all disciplines involved in improving patient outcomes in schizophrenia.