Eye Tracking During Visual Paired-Comparison Tasks: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Diagnostic Test Accuracy for Detecting Cognitive Decline.

Jordan M Glenn, Mohamed Ali Boujelbane, Achraf Ammar, Atef Salem, Omar Boukhris, Hamdi Chtourou, Khaled Trabelsi, Haitham Jahrami, Maha M AlRashid

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD 2024;99(1):207-221

PMID: 38640158

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Abstract

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) progress silently, making early diagnosis challenging, especially in less educated populations. The visual paired comparison (VPC) task, utilizing eye-tracking movement (ETM) technology, offers a promising alternative for early detection of memory decline.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of the VPC task, utilizing ETM as a tool for assessing age-related cognitive changes.

METHODS

A comprehensive search across five databases and grey literature focused on healthy and impaired memory participants assessed through the ETM-based VPC task. The primary outcomes were novelty preference scores and eye movement metrics. The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2). Random-effects meta-analyses calculated Hedges' g effect size. Sensitivity and specificity of the VPC were meta-analytically pooled.

RESULTS

The systematic review included 12 articles, involving 1,022 participants (aged 18 to 90 years, with education ranging from 6.5 to 20.0 years), with a low risk of bias and minimal applicability concerns across all items. Five studies contributed to the meta-analysis, revealing a significant effect favoring the VPC task for recognition memory detection (k = 9, g = -1.03). Pooled sensitivity and specificity analyses demonstrated VPC effectiveness as a recognition memory assessment tool (0.84 and 0.75, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The VPC task, utilizing ETM, may serve as a biomarker for early memory decline detection. Its use as a digital eye-tracking tool presents a possible alternative to traditional tests, warranting further research for application in neurodegenerative disease diagnosis.

Address: High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.; Research Unit, Physical Activity, Sport, and Health, UR18JS01, National Observatory of Sport, Tunis, Tunisia.; Department of Training and Movement Science, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.; High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.; Research Laboratory: Education, Motricity, Sport and Health, EM2S, LR19JS01, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.; SIESTA Research Group, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.; High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.; Department of Training and Movement Science, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.; Research Laboratory, Molecular Bases of Human Pathology, LR19ES13, Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.; Interdisciplinary Laboratory in Neurosciences, Physiology, and Psychology: Physical Activity, Health, and Learning (LINP2), UFR STAPS (Faculty of Sport Sciences), UPL, Paris Nanterre University, Nanterre, France.; Department of Health, Exercise Science Research Center Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA.; SIESTA Research Group, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.; Sport, Performance, and Nutrition Research Group, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.; Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.; Ministry of Health, Manama, Bahrain.; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain.; High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.; Research Unit, Physical Activity, Sport, and Health, UR18JS01, National Observatory of Sport, Tunis, Tunisia.; SIESTA Research Group, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-240028

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MeSH Terms: Humans, Cognitive Dysfunction, Eye-Tracking Technology, Neuropsychological Tests, Eye Movements, Aged, Sensitivity and Specificity