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A group of 16 chronic schizophrenic subjects were compared with 15 age-matched control subjects for interocular transfer of movement after-effects. Contrary to the hypothesis that schizophrenic subjects would show a deficit on this measure schizophrenics showed increased transfer compared to the controls. This effect is not due to response perseveration and is not correlated with length of hospitalization, age or dose of antipsychotic drugs. It is suggested that the effect reflects a deficit in 'inhibitory processes' in schizophrenia.

The development and use of a new psychiatric symptom change scale based on the Present State Examination (PSE)--the PSE Change Rating Scale--is described. The advantages of the PSE are retained (the extensive glossary, the diagnostic facility and the standardised interview technique) while improving its sensitivity to change and decreasing its administration time. The scale has been designed to prevent feedback of results and 'halo' effects: it has proved highly reliable in use across raters with different backgrounds and experience. The scale has been used to monitor drug effects on clinical state across a variety of diagnoses and examples of its use are given.

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