Where Do Parkinson's Disease Patients Look While Walking?. Issue 4 (8th January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vanegas‐Arroyave, Nora; Chen, Denise F.; Lauro, Peter M.; Norato, Gina; Lungu, Codrin; Hallett, Mark
• Is Part Of: Movement disorders. Volume 37:Issue 4(2022)
• Page Start: 864
• Page End: 869
• Publication Date: 2022-01-08
• Subjects: visual sampling -- freezing of gait -- Parkinson's disease; Movement disorders -- Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1002/mds.28917
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0885-3185

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with gait and visuomotor abnormalities, but it is not clear where PD patients look during ambulation. Objective: We sought to characterize the visual areas of interest explored by PD patients, with and without freezing of gait (FOG), compared to healthy volunteers (HVs). Methods: Using an eye‐tracking device, we compared visual fixation patterns in 17 HVs and 18 PD patients, with and without FOG, during an ambulatory and a nonambulatory, computer‐based task. Results: During ambulation, PD patients with FOG fixated more on proximal areas of the ground and less on the target destination. PD patients without FOG displayed a fixation pattern more similar to that of HVs. Similar patterns were observed during the nonambulatory, computer‐based task. Conclusions: Our findings suggest increased dependence on visual feedback from nearby areas in the environment in PD patients with FOG, even in the absence of motor demands. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society