Project Description
Challenge
The assessment of children for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) requires testing many different types of brain function to determine if they are impaired. However, children with FASD usually have to wait a long time for this formal diagnostic assessment, which often prevents them from accessing supports early on in life.
Project Summary
Measuring saccadic eye movements—right to left and up and down motions of the eye—is a powerful tool for assessing sensory, motor, and cognitive function, areas often impaired in children with FASD. This project sought to determine if tracking the eye movements of children provided quantitative information on brain function in children with FASD, with the ultimate goal of developing a predictive assessment tool for rapid screening of children at-risk for having FASD. A secondary objective was to determine if specific deficits in eye movement control correlate to particular anomalies in the structure of the brain in children with FASD. The research team used a tabletop eye tracking device called the EyeLink-1000 to test children on a series of tasks that last between 30 to 45 minutes that assessed multiple aspects of brain function, including memory, attention, and motor learning.
Result
Correlation analyses showed that saccadic eye movement tests are in line with the standard psychometric tests used to diagnose FASD—in other words, eye movement can identify children with FASD accurately. This finding provided strong evidence that the EyeLink-1000 could be used to identify children at a young age who might be at risk for FASD, which would allow them to access early interventions while waiting for a formal diagnostic assessment. By comparing the results of eye movement tests with neuroimaging data, the research team was able to link deficits in eye movement control to specific changes in brain structure in children with FASD.
Team
Investigators
James N. Reynolds, Queen’s University
Sterling Clarren, University of British Columbia
James F. Brien, Queen’s University
Christian Beaulieu, University of Alberta
Carmen Rasmussen, University of Alberta
Collaborators
Douglas P. Munoz, Queen’s University
Laurent Itti, University of Southern California
Gail Andrew, University of Alberta
Partners
Subsequent Cycle II Initiatives
Eye Movements to Screen for FASD
Developing a New Tool to Screen for FASD
