New Eye-tracking Technology Detects Head-injury Severity

In a recent study published in the Journal of Neurotrauma, neuroscientists and concussion experts from NYU Langone Medical Center presented a unique, simple and objective diagnostic tool for concussion that can be utilized in the emergency room or, eventually, on the sidelines at sporting events. The study utilized a novel eye-tracking device to effectively measure the severity of concussion or brain injury in patients following head trauma. Current estimates by optometrists suggest that up to 90 percent of patients with concussions or blast injuries exhibit dysfunction in their eye movements. During the study, researchers compared 64 healthy control participants to 75 who had experienced head trauma that brought them into the emergency room. They tracked and compared the movements of participants’ pupils for over 200 seconds while watching a music video. The results showed that 13 trauma patients who had hit their heads and had CT scans showing new brain damage, as well as 39 trauma patients who had hit their heads and had normal CT scans, had significantly less ability to coordinate their eye movements when compared to normal, uninjured control participants. This new study builds on recent research, which found that the use of this novel eye-tracking technology could reveal swelling in the brain as a potential biomarker for assessing brain function and monitoring recovery in people with head injuries. To read more about this study, click here.