Eye and Brain (Apr 2024)
Detecting Abnormal Eye Movements in Patients with Neurodegenerative Diseases – Current Insights
Abstract
Akila Sekar,1 Muriel TN Panouillères,2,3 Diego Kaski1 1SENSE Research Unit, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK; 2NeuroClues, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium; 3CIAMS, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, FranceCorrespondence: Diego Kaski, SENSE Research Unit, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK, Email [email protected]: This review delineates the ocular motor disturbances across a spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and related disorders (ADRD), Parkinson’s Disease (PD), atypical parkinsonism, and others, leveraging advancements in eye-tracking technology for enhanced diagnostic precision. We delve into the different classes of eye movements, their clinical assessment, and specific abnormalities manifesting in these diseases, highlighting the nuanced differences and shared patterns. For instance, AD and ADRD are characterized by increased saccadic latencies and instability in fixation, while PD features saccadic hypometria and mild smooth pursuit impairments. Atypical parkinsonism, notably Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Corticobasal Syndrome (CBS), presents with distinct ocular motor signatures such as vertical supranuclear gaze palsy and saccadic apraxia, respectively. Our review underscores the diagnostic value of eye movement analysis in differentiating between these disorders and also posits the existence of underlying common pathological mechanisms. We discuss how eye movements have potential as biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases but also some of the existing limitations.Keywords: Parkinson disease, eye-tracking technology, eye movements, parkinsonian disorders, neurodegenerative diseases
