Motor-Independent Cognitive Testing in Motor Degenerative Diseases.

ABSTRACT: Cognitive function is tested through speech- or writing-based neuropsychological instruments. The application and validity of those tests is impeded for patients with diseases that affect speech and hand motor skills. We therefore developed a "motor-free" gaze-controlled version of the Trail Making Test (TMT), including a calibration task to assess gaze accuracy, for completion by means of an eye-tracking computer system (ETCS). This electronic TMT version (eTMT) was evaluated for two paradigmatic "motor-neurodegenerative" diseases, Parkinson's disease (PD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We screened 146 subjects, of whom 44 were excluded, e.g., because of vision deficits. Patients were dichotomized into subgroups with less (ALS-, PD-) or severe motor affection (ALS+, PD+). All 66

SUBMITTER: Schmitz-Peiffer H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8836999 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature