PhD Scientific Days 2025

Poster Session II. - L: Mental Health Sciences

Eye Movement Patterns for Neurocognitive Screening: Detecting Specific Cognitive Subfunctions Affected in Neurocognitive Disorders

Name of the presenter

Marton Lilla

Institute/workplace of the presenter

Semmelweis University, Center for Geriatric Care and Nursing Science, Budapest, Hungary.

Authors

Lilla Marton^1,2, Patrícia Lajko^1,2, Attila Besenyei^1,2, Andrea Virag^1,2, Dorina Markovics^1,2, Klára Gado^1,3, Xénia Gonda^4,5

1: Semmelweis University, Center for Geriatric Care and Nursing Science, Budapest, Hungary.
2: Semmelweis University, School of PhD Studies, Budapest, Hungary.
3: Semmelweis University, Faculty of Health Studies - Department of Clinical Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.
4: Semmelweis University, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Budapest, Hungary
5: Semmelweis University, Department of Clinical Psychology, Budapest, Hungary

Text of the abstract

Introduction: Cognitive symptoms of dementia often appear in early stages but are usually diagnosed only once they significantly impact daily functioning. Since there is currently no cure, the only effective approach is to delay disease progression, which relies heavily on early detection.
Eye tracking (ET) enables objective analysis of gaze patterns, sensitively reflecting cognitive dysfunctions. ET systems are non-invasive, easy to administer, and cost-effective, allowing cognitive assessment in both clinical and home environments. Thus, ET is a valuable tool for early detection and a potential basis for broad screening protocols.
Aims: This study aims to identify eye movement patterns linked to specific cognitive subfunctions affected in neurocognitive disorders and to explore ET-based biomarkers that can indicate low performance in these domains. We also compare traditional and computer-based ET assessments, focusing on domain-specific sensitivity. Our ultimate goal is to develop a rapid, cost-effective, and user-friendly screening protocol applicable in primary care.
Method: Participants are inpatients at Semmelweis University’s Geriatrics and Nursing departments who meet criteria for at least mild neurocognitive disorder, as determined by the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Clock Drawing Test, assessed independently by two psychologists. A control group matched by age, gender, and education is also included. While completing a custom digital test battery, participants' eye movements are recorded using a Tobii Pro Spark eye tracker. The tasks assess visual memory, attention, executive functions, and visuospatial processing. Key behavioral and eye-movement metrics (e.g., fixations, saccades, errors, decision times) are analyzed using regression, correlation, mediation, and group comparisons.
Results: We expect to identify reliable ET-based biomarkers that reflect cognitive decline at the subfunction level. We hypothesize that ET tasks will demonstrate greater sensitivity than traditional methods, and group comparisons will inform diagnostic accuracy.
Conclusion: ET may offer a powerful, non-invasive, and objective approach for early detection of neurocognitive disorders. Our findings could support its integration into routine cognitive screening, particularly in primary care settings.
Funding: No external funding was received for this study.