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Zaino D, Serchi V, Giannini F, Pucci B, Veneri G, Pretegiani E, Rosini F, Monti L, Rufa A. Different saccadic profile in bulbar versus spinal-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain 2023; 146:266-277. [PMID: 35136957 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Two clinical phenotypes characterize the onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): the spinal variant, with symptoms beginning in the limbs, and the bulbar variant, affecting firstly speech and swallowing. The two variants show some distinct features in the histopathology, localization and prognosis, but to which extent they really differ clinically and pathologically remains to be clarified. Recent neuropathological and neuroimaging studies have suggested a broader spreading of the neurodegenerative process in ALS, extending beyond the motor areas, toward other cortical and deep grey matter regions, many of which are involved in visual processing and saccadic control. Indeed, a wide range of eye movement deficits have been reported in ALS, but they have never been used to distinguish the two ALS variants. Since quantifying eye movements is a very sensitive and specific method for the study of brain networks, we compared different saccadic and visual search behaviours across spinal ALS patients (n = 12), bulbar ALS patients (n = 6) and healthy control subjects (n = 13), along with cognitive and MRI measures, with the aim to define more accurately the two patients subgroups and possibly clarify a different underlying neural impairment. We found separate profiles of visually-guided saccades between spinal (short saccades) and bulbar (slow saccades) ALS, which could result from the pathologic involvement of different pathways. We suggest an early involvement of the parieto-collicular-cerebellar network in spinal ALS and the fronto-brainstem circuit in bulbar ALS. Overall, our data confirm the diagnostic value of the eye movements analysis in ALS and add new insight on the involved neural networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenica Zaino
- Eye tracking and Visual Application Lab (EVA Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy.,Neurology and Neurometabolic Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Valeria Serchi
- Eye tracking and Visual Application Lab (EVA Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Fabio Giannini
- Centre for Motor Neuron Diseases, Neurology and Neurophysiology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Barbara Pucci
- Neurology and Neurophysiology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Giacomo Veneri
- Eye tracking and Visual Application Lab (EVA Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Elena Pretegiani
- Eye tracking and Visual Application Lab (EVA Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Francesca Rosini
- Eye tracking and Visual Application Lab (EVA Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Lucia Monti
- Unit of Neuroimaging and Neurointervention, Department of Neurological and Neurosensorial Sciences, AOUS, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Alessandra Rufa
- Eye tracking and Visual Application Lab (EVA Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
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Beylergil SB, Kilbane C, Shaikh AG, Ghasia FF. Eye movements in Parkinson's disease during visual search. J Neurol Sci 2022; 440:120299. [PMID: 35810513 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2022.120299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Visual spatial dysfunction is not uncommon in Parkinson's disease. We hypothesized that visual search behavior is impaired in Parkinson's disease and the deficits correlate with changes in the amplitudes and frequency of fixational and non-fixational rapid eye movements. We measured eye movements, the horizontal and vertical angular position vectors of the right and left eye using high-resolution video oculography, in the Parkinsonian cohort who viewed a blank scene and pictures with real-life scene. Latter was associated with a task of searching an object hidden in a clutter, either at an expected or an unexpected location. Parkinsonian cohort took longer initial time to reach the region of interest. The ultimate response time was comparable in both Parkinson's disease and their healthy peers. The fixation duration was comparable in two cohorts but there was a trend wise decline for the ones located at unexpected locations. Parkinson's disease participants made more fixational saccades with significantly larger amplitude and less non-fixational saccades with significantly smaller amplitude during blank scene viewing. However, overall scanned area of the blank scene was not affected in Parkinson's disease. The Parkinson's disease participants made less non-fixational saccades with amplitudes comparable to healthy control during the visual search of a target object. Fixational saccades during visual search were larger in Parkinson's disease particularly when target was placed at an unexpected location, but the frequency was unchanged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinem B Beylergil
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA; Daroff-Dell'Osso Ocular Motility Laboratory, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, USA
| | - Camilla Kilbane
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals, Cleveland, USA
| | - Aasef G Shaikh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA; Daroff-Dell'Osso Ocular Motility Laboratory, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, USA; Department of Neurology, University Hospitals, Cleveland, USA.
| | - Fatema F Ghasia
- Daroff-Dell'Osso Ocular Motility Laboratory, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, USA; Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, USA
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A Mixed Statistical and Machine Learning Approach for the Analysis of Multimodal Trail Making Test Data. MATHEMATICS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/math9243159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Eye-tracking can offer a novel clinical practice and a non-invasive tool to detect neuropathological syndromes. In this paper, we show some analysis on data obtained from the visual sequential search test. Indeed, such a test can be used to evaluate the capacity of looking at objects in a specific order, and its successful execution requires the optimization of the perceptual resources of foveal and extrafoveal vision. The main objective of this work is to detect if some patterns can be found within the data, to discern among people with chronic pain, extrapyramidal patients and healthy controls. We employed statistical tests to evaluate differences among groups, considering three novel indicators: blinking rate, average blinking duration and maximum pupil size variation. Additionally, to divide the three patient groups based on scan-path images—which appear very noisy and all similar to each other—we applied deep learning techniques to embed them into a larger transformed space. We then applied a clustering approach to correctly detect and classify the three cohorts. Preliminary experiments show promising results.
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Marchesseault ER, Nguyen D, Spahr L, Beals C, Razak B, Rosene JM. Head impacts and cognitive performance in men's lacrosse. PHYSICIAN SPORTSMED 2018; 46:324-330. [PMID: 29733264 DOI: 10.1080/00913847.2018.1470888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The purpose of this investigation was to record head impacts and assess cognitive function throughout a NCAA Division III men's lacrosse season. METHODS Fifteen NCAA Div III men's lacrosse players (age = 21.1 ± 1.5 years; height = 179 ± 7.00cm; weight = 80.74 ± 8.00kg) wore Smart Impact Monitors (SIM) (Triax Technologies, Inc., Norwalk, CT) within headbands, in 28 practices and 9 home games of one season. The SIM devices communicated with the Triax Technologies SKYi, which confirmed activated SIMs and obtained data of linear acceleration, rotational acceleration, rotational velocity, direction, and location of each head impact. A minimum threshold of 15g of force was set for head impacts to register with the SIMs. The Comprehensive Trail Making Test and Stroop Color and Word Test were administered at preseason, midseason, and postseason to assess cognitive function performance. RESULTS There was no significant difference found between all measures of frequency and magnitude of head impacts between games and practices. There was also no significant difference for peak linear acceleration of head impacts between different positions and no significant difference between the magnitude of force and the location of impact on the head. There was a significant increase in CTMT performance from preseason to midseason, from midseason to postseason, and preseason to postseason. There was no significant difference in Stroop test performance throughout the season. CONCLUSION Subconcussive head impacts in men's lacrosse appear to occur at the same magnitude in practices and games, and do not appear to be position dependent, nor head location dependent. Men's lacrosse athletes' cognitive function as measured by the CTMT, can improve, while cognitive function as measured by the Stroop test remained unchanged.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Nguyen
- a Exercise and Sport Performance , University of New England , Biddeford , ME , USA
| | - Lee Spahr
- a Exercise and Sport Performance , University of New England , Biddeford , ME , USA
| | - Caroline Beals
- b Health Wellness and Occupational Studies , University of New England , Biddeford , ME , USA
| | - Brian Razak
- a Exercise and Sport Performance , University of New England , Biddeford , ME , USA
| | - John M Rosene
- a Exercise and Sport Performance , University of New England , Biddeford , ME , USA
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Poletti B, Carelli L, Solca F, Lafronza A, Pedroli E, Faini A, Zago S, Ticozzi N, Ciammola A, Morelli C, Meriggi P, Cipresso P, Lulé D, Ludolph AC, Riva G, Silani V. An eye-tracking controlled neuropsychological battery for cognitive assessment in neurological diseases. Neurol Sci 2017; 38:595-603. [PMID: 28078566 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-016-2807-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Traditional cognitive assessment in neurological conditions involving physical disability is often prevented by the presence of verbal-motor impairment; to date, an extensive motor-verbal-free neuropsychological battery is not available for such purposes. We adapted a set of neuropsychological tests, assessing language, attentional abilities, executive functions and social cognition, for eye-tracking (ET) control, and explored its feasibility in a sample of healthy participants. Thirty healthy subjects performed a neuropsychological assessment, using an ET-based neuropsychological battery, together with standard "paper and pencil" cognitive measures for frontal (Frontal Assessment Battery-FAB) and working memory abilities (Digit Sequencing Task) and for global cognitive efficiency (Montreal Cognitive Assessment-MoCA). Psychological measures of anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y-STAI-Y) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory-BDI) were also collected, and a usability questionnaire was administered. Significant correlations were observed between the "paper and pencil" screening of working memory abilities and the ET-based neuropsychological measures. The ET-based battery also correlated with the MoCA, while poor correlations were observed with the FAB. Usability aspects were found to be influenced by both working memory abilities and psychological components. The ET-based neuropsychological battery developed could provide an extensive assessment of cognitive functions, allowing participants to perform tasks independently from the integrity of motor or verbal channels. Further studies will be aimed at investigating validity and usability components in neurological populations with motor-verbal impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Poletti
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Laura Carelli
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Solca
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Annalisa Lafronza
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Pedroli
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Faini
- Department of Cardiovascular, Neural and Metabolic Sciences, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Zago
- Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, IRCCS Fondazione Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Ticozzi
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, "Dino Ferrari" Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Ciammola
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Morelli
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Meriggi
- ICT and Biomedical Technology Integration Unit, Centre for Innovation and Technology Transfer (CITT), Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Onlus, Milan, Italy
| | - Pietro Cipresso
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Dorothée Lulé
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Giuseppe Riva
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.,Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Silani
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, "Dino Ferrari" Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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