The Gateway to Brain Health — Advancing Disease Detection and Patient Accessibility

REVEALING BRAIN HEALTH THROUGH THE EYES

Scientists have identified a significant connection between deficits in eye movements and disorders of the brain or brain injuries. This discovery has led to earlier detection of several conditions, leading to earlier treatment and sometimes longer, healthier patient lives.

Eye tracking tests are employed to measure the brain’s ability to perform or suppress reflexive eye movements — movements patients may not even be aware that they are performing. These tests include saccade tests, anti-saccade tests, and smooth pursuit tasks.

Saccades are rapid eye movements that shift the center of gaze from one part of the visual field to another.Examining saccades gauges the patient’s ability to perform this function in a single, rapid movement, while anti-saccade tests measure a patient’s ability to suppress those reflexive movements. Smooth pursuit tasks test a patient’s ability to follow an object smoothly while keeping that object in full view. It is considered voluntary, and a patient’s inability to perform well in them may point to deeper issues inside the brain.

In addition, pupillary responses can point to issues with emotional response or a brain’s cognitive load. Neurology, as a discipline, has largely relied on in-person assessment, but developing at-home solutions using these eye-movement tests can help physicians better understand what might be occurring inside a patient’s brain without necessitating an in-person visit.

INDIVIDUALIZING CARE

Eye-movement testing has been revolutionized by pivoting from bulky, expensive equipment to a smartphone or laptop camera, allowing easier access to testing capabilities and a more affordable option for providers and patients. With better detection and diagnosis, patients can begin to receive tailored, individualized care early on, leading to better chances of treatment success.

Eye-movement tests have been used to pinpoint degenerative disorders (e.g., Huntington’s disease or Parkinson’s disease), neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia and anxiety), as well as brain injuries (e.g., concussions). Innovations in the eye-movement test space have also leveraged advances in telehealth6 and remote healthcare capabilities.

Today’s rapidly aging population7 has led providers to seek alternative care options while keeping in mind quick detection and diagnosis of serious conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Newer gaze-tracking tools can bring remote detection to more providers and, therefore, more patients.

Advancements in technology are also standardizing the mode of care, allowing patients the freedom to compare test outcomes from several providers consistently. Telehealth has consistently been seen as inferior — a “Plan B” option for a physical visit — and reserved for times of duress. However, technological advancements can help eradicate the disparity in diagnostic capabilities between a physical and telehealth visit.

ADVANCING THE STUDY OF BRAIN HEALTH

The positive patient outcomes expected from advanced gaze tracking tools are the “why” behind the further development of the technology. What the advancements can do for the study of brain health, however, could be the “icing on the cake.”

Even though conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease negatively affect the lifespan of millions worldwide, too little is known about the cause of those conditions and conditions like them. Brain health evaluation tools, such as eye-tracking, can help researchers delve deeper into neurology, neurological treatment efficacy and effectiveness, and develop wider-reaching scientific evidence to support theories of cause for neurodegenerative diseases. Such research would be pivotal in generating more widespread support for integrating similar technology on a telemedical scale.

FUTURE POTENTIAL

Gaze tracking is not a new concept, but the vast improvements and innovations being brought forth in the healthcare space have made gaze tracking a more accessible option. New gaze tracking systems are non-invasive, have remote capabilities, and come at significant cost savings over older methods.

The plight of those with neurodegenerative diseases will likelybenefitmost from the increased accessibility of eye-tracking technology. Research8 shows that over 50% of people with dementia worldwide are never properly diagnosed. For those who do receive a proper diagnosis, it typically comes far too late to slow the progression of the disease.

With advances in gaze tracking, neurodegenerative diseases can be caught earlier than ever, allowing providers to treat patients earlier and possibly slow disease progression. Groundbreaking work in gaze tracking has often failed to “see” real-world applications reach enough people who could benefit from the technology. Now, with advancements in gaze tracking and the enhanced reliance on telehealth in the post-COVID environment, that gap is being bridged.

It has been said the eyes are the windows to the soul. While that may remain true, science is showing us that the eyes can also be the gateway to the brain.

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Speakers

Sai Mattapalli, Co-founder, Vytal.ai

Rohan Kalahasty, Co-founder, Vytal.ai

Moderator

Sweta Sneha, PhD, Executive Director of Healthcare Management Informatics. Professor of Information Systems, Coles College of Business, Kennesaw University, USA