Implementation of a Novel Functional Eye-Tracking Biomarker for Multiple Sclerosis

Launched by MCGILL UNIVERSITY · Mar 3, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring a new, non-invasive eye-tracking software designed to help us understand how certain diseases, like Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS) and Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS), affect patients. The researchers will ask participants to complete short memory and attention tests while their eye movements are tracked when viewing different visual stimuli. The goal is to find out if specific eye movement patterns can serve as reliable indicators of how these conditions progress and how they impact cognitive abilities.

To participate, individuals must be between 18 and 65 years old and able to give informed consent. Patients should have a confirmed diagnosis of either CIS or RRMS and must be medically stable. Participants will not be eligible if they have certain psychiatric or neurological conditions that could affect eye movements or have serious vision problems. If you join the study, you can expect to take part in eye movement assessments and cognitive tests, contributing to the development of a tool that could improve how we monitor and treat these diseases in the future.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • For all participants
• • 1. Able to provide informed consent
• • 2. Visual acuity of 20/100 in at least one eye (corrective glasses, contact lenses, surgery etc. are permitted)
• • For patients only
• • 1. Confirmed diagnosis of CIS with abnormal MRI or RRMS
• • 2. Neurological condition is medically stable during the study visit
• Exclusion Criteria:
• * For all participants:
• • 1. Evidence or medical history of psychiatric issues, which are known to also affect movements and oculomotor control.
• • 2. Aged above 65 or less than 18 years of age.
• • 3. Presence of comorbid neurological conditions to avoid eye movement anomaly confounds (Strabismus, cranial nerve palsy, stroke-causing hemianopsia).
• • 4. Diagnosis of macular edema or other pre-existing ocular conditions that would prevent from performing the eye movement assessments.
• * For healthy controls only:
• • 1. Evidence or history of significant neurological disorder (Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Dementia)