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Pupil reaction to light in Alzheimer’s disease: evaluation of pupil size changes and mobility

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Abstract

Aims: The aim of the study is to assess pupil size changes and mobility evaluation as a diagnostic marker in patients with probable Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Material and methods: Twenty-three control subjects and 23 patients with probable AD entered the study. The latter patients had been under observation for 2 years and had undergone all necessary examinations to verify their initial diagnosis. A full record of the pupil’s reaction to light was registered. Ten parameters from these data were measured, reported and then compared in both group of subjects. Results: Patients with probable AD had abnormal pupillary function compared with such function in healthy aging. All pupillary light reflex (PLR) variables differed significantly between the two groups (p<0.005) except baseline pupil diameter (D1) and minimum pupil diameter (D2). Maximum constriction acceleration (ACmax) was the best predictor in classifying a subject as normal or as AD with perfect classification ability (area under the curve =1, p<0.001). In addition, the correlation between the percentage recovery-redilatation (%D1) and ACmax was highly negative in the group of AD patients (r=−0.808, p<0.005). Conclusions: Pupil size changes and mobility examination may be a fast, non-invasive and efficient additional diagnostic marker in AD diagnosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Clinical Neurophysiology, AHEPA Hospital, 1 Kyriakidi Street, 54636, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Dimitris F. Fotiou PhD, Catherine G. Brozou, Dimitris Tsiptsios, Charalambos Giantselidis & Fotis Fotiou

  2. Laboratory of Hygiene, USA

    Anna-Bettina Haidich

  3. Second Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Maria Nakou

  4. Department of Psychology, Saint Louis University, MO, USA

    Anastasia Kabitsi

Authors
  1. Dimitris F. Fotiou PhD
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  2. Catherine G. Brozou
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  3. Anna-Bettina Haidich
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  4. Dimitris Tsiptsios
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  5. Maria Nakou
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  6. Anastasia Kabitsi
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  7. Charalambos Giantselidis
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  8. Fotis Fotiou
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Correspondence to Dimitris F. Fotiou PhD.

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Fotiou, D.F., Brozou, C.G., Haidich, AB. et al. Pupil reaction to light in Alzheimer’s disease: evaluation of pupil size changes and mobility. Aging Clin Exp Res 19, 364–371 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324716

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324716

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