Pupil size as an indicator of cognitive activity in mild Alzheimer’s disease
Mohamad El Haj, Guillaume Chapelet, Ahmed A. Moustafa, Claire Boutoleau‐Bretonnière
Abstract
< .001]; in other words, patients with AD have shown fewer variations on the pupil size across the conditions compared to the control participants. The larger pupil size during backward spans, compared with forward spans or counting, can be attributed to the high cognitive load of backward spans. The modulation of pupil size, as observed across backward/forward spans and counting, can possibly be attributed to sympathetic/adrenergic and parasympathetic/cholinergic activities. Our study demonstrates the value of pupillometry as a potential biomarker of cognitive processing in AD.
Topics & Concepts
PupilPupil diameterPupil sizeCognitionPsychologyAudiologyOphthalmologyPupillary responseMedicineNeuroscienceDementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchGlaucoma and retinal disordersSpatial Neglect and Hemispheric Dysfunction