INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 06 Program Schedule 02/15/2024 04:00 pm - 05:15 pm Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 06: Aging \| MCI \| Neurodegenerative Disease - PART 2 Final Abstract #76 Naturalistic Eye Movements as Markers of Subtle Functional Decline in MCI and Aging Rachel Mis, University of Texas Dell Medical School, Austin, United States Marina Kaplan, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States Molly Tassoni, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States Moira McKniff, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States Taisei Ando, Suwa University of Science, Chino, Japan Takehiko Yamaguchi, Suwa University of Science, Chino, Japan Deborah Drabick, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States Jamie Reilly, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States Tania Giovannetti, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States Category: MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) Keyword 1: everyday functioning Keyword 2: technology Keyword 3: aging (normal) Objective: Subtle difficulties performing everyday tasks emerge prior to the onset of a frank dementia and predict risk of further decline. Current clinical methods of assessing everyday functioning lack sensitivity to early functional changes. Two markers of mild functional difficulties identified in separate experimental paradigms that distinguish healthy older adults from younger adults include: (1) micro errors, or inefficient reaching movements (e.g., reaching for but not using a distractor object) and (2) inefficient eye movements during verbal description of common everyday activities (e.g., making coffee). The present study used a novel single, streamlined paradigm that integrates analysis of inefficient eye movements with inefficient reaching to increase sensitivity for early detection and advance our understanding of mild functional difficulties. Participants and Methods: Twenty-nine older adults with healthy cognition (HC; n = 23) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 6) completed a novel, non-immersive virtual reality (VR) test involving two everyday tasks (Breakfast and Lunch) during which eye movements were measured. Participants also completed a performance-based test (with real objects) of everyday functioning (NAT). Analyses examined (1) distribution of gaze fixations to target v. non-target objects, (2) group differences in inefficient eye movements between HC and MCI participants, and (3) whether eye movements are associated with the performance-based measure of everyday functioning. Results: Within the VR task, participants spent the highest proportion of time viewing objects necessary for completion of the current task step (target objects; .52) compared to distractor objects (.04) or objects not needed at the current task step (“mis-timed objects”; .26). Participants with MCI (M=.31., SD=.08) spent a higher proportion of time viewing mis-timed objects during the VR task than HC participants (M=.24., SD=.05), t(27)=-2.55, p=.02. Time spent viewing mis-timed and distractor objects in the VR task was moderately correlated with errors on the NAT [mis-timed: r(26)=.37, p=.05; distractor: r_s(26)=.37, p=.05]. Controlling for age and education, proportion of time spent viewing mis-timed objects, but not distractors or target objects, predicted NAT errors, β=.39, p=.04. Conclusions: Results provide preliminary evidence that eye movements during execution of a VR task of everyday functioning may be a reliable and sensitive measure of subtle, real-world functional difficulties that distinguish cognitively healthy older adults from individuals with MCI. While both HC and MCI participants seldom viewed distractor objects, proportion of time spent viewing mis-timed objects emerged as a sensitive marker of early functional decline. Future study should examine the relation of eye movements during naturalistic tasks to domains of cognitive functioning.

Poster

02/15/2024
04:00 pm - 05:15 pm
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 06: Aging | MCI | Neurodegenerative Disease - PART 2

Final Abstract #76

Naturalistic Eye Movements as Markers of Subtle Functional Decline in MCI and Aging

Rachel Mis, University of Texas Dell Medical School, Austin, United States
Marina Kaplan, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States
Molly Tassoni, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States
Moira McKniff, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States
Taisei Ando, Suwa University of Science, Chino, Japan
Takehiko Yamaguchi, Suwa University of Science, Chino, Japan
Deborah Drabick, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States
Jamie Reilly, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States
Tania Giovannetti, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States

Category: MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment)

Keyword 1: everyday functioning
Keyword 2: technology
Keyword 3: aging (normal)

Objective:

Subtle difficulties performing everyday tasks emerge prior to the onset of a frank dementia and predict risk of further decline. Current clinical methods of assessing everyday functioning lack sensitivity to early functional changes. Two markers of mild functional difficulties identified in separate experimental paradigms that distinguish healthy older adults from younger adults include: (1) micro errors, or inefficient reaching movements (e.g., reaching for but not using a distractor object) and (2) inefficient eye movements during verbal description of common everyday activities (e.g., making coffee). The present study used a novel single, streamlined paradigm that integrates analysis of inefficient eye movements with inefficient reaching to increase sensitivity for early detection and advance our understanding of mild functional difficulties.

Participants and Methods:

Twenty-nine older adults with healthy cognition (HC; n = 23) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 6) completed a novel, non-immersive virtual reality (VR) test involving two everyday tasks (Breakfast and Lunch) during which eye movements were measured. Participants also completed a performance-based test (with real objects) of everyday functioning (NAT). Analyses examined (1) distribution of gaze fixations to target v. non-target objects, (2) group differences in inefficient eye movements between HC and MCI participants, and (3) whether eye movements are associated with the performance-based measure of everyday functioning.

Results:

Within the VR task, participants spent the highest proportion of time viewing objects necessary for completion of the current task step (target objects; .52) compared to distractor objects (.04) or objects not needed at the current task step (“mis-timed objects”; .26). Participants with MCI (M=.31., SD=.08) spent a higher proportion of time viewing mis-timed objects during the VR task than HC participants (M=.24., SD=.05), t(27)=-2.55, p=.02. Time spent viewing mis-timed and distractor objects in the VR task was moderately correlated with errors on the NAT [mis-timed: r(26)=.37, p=.05; distractor: r_s(26)=.37, p=.05]. Controlling for age and education, proportion of time spent viewing mis-timed objects, but not distractors or target objects, predicted NAT errors, β=.39, p=.04.

Conclusions:

Results provide preliminary evidence that eye movements during execution of a VR task of everyday functioning may be a reliable and sensitive measure of subtle, real-world functional difficulties that distinguish cognitively healthy older adults from individuals with MCI. While both HC and MCI participants seldom viewed distractor objects, proportion of time spent viewing mis-timed objects emerged as a sensitive marker of early functional decline. Future study should examine the relation of eye movements during naturalistic tasks to domains of cognitive functioning.