Eye Movement Biomarkers (EMBs)
Changes in eye movements can be observed as we age or when there is an erosion of neural functioning due to disease or injury, suggesting a direct correlation between brain health and eye movements. Since eye movements involve multiple “zones”, pathways and circuitry in the brain, decades of literature have suggested that eye movement biomarkers (EMBs) can be used to monitor disease status and progression in neurodegenerative disorders. EMBs refer to a quantitative composite assessment of various eye movement behaviors as a surrogate of brain health. Eye movement data in EMBs include classic measures such as those derived from saccade and anti-saccades tasks, as well as complex gaze path patterns produced during perceptual tasks. The data generated by the assessment tool represents a unique “eye movement signature” in the context of any neurological condition affecting eye movements. EMBs can be used by healthcare professionals to identify oculomotor abnormalities; track disease progression; monitor treatment effects; assist with diagnoses; etc.