Affiliations: [a] Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA | [b] Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA | [c] Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Brandon A. Ally, Department of Neurology, A-0118 Medical Center North, 1161 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232, USA. Tel.: +1 615 875 7378; Fax: +1 615 343 3946; E-mail: brandon.ally@vanderbilt.edu.
Abstract: A growing body of literature has investigated changes in eye movements as a result of Alzheimer's disease (AD). When compared to healthy, age-matched controls, patients display a number of remarkable alterations to oculomotor function and viewing behavior. In this article, we review AD-related changes to fundamental eye movements, such as saccades and smooth pursuit motion, in addition to changes to eye movement patterns during more complex tasks like visual search and scene exploration. We discuss the cognitive mechanisms that underlie these changes and consider the clinical significance of eye movement behavior, with a focus on eye movements in mild cognitive impairment. We conclude with directions for future research.
