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. 2016;38(2):217-26.
doi: 10.1080/13803395.2015.1101054.

The impact of oculomotor functioning on neuropsychological performance in Huntington disease

Janessa O Carvalho  1 , Jeffrey D Long  2   3 , Holly J Westervelt  4 , Megan M Smith  5 , Jared M Bruce  6 , Ji-In Kim  2 , James A Mills  2 , Jane S Paulsen  2   7   8 ; PREDICT-HD Investigators And Coordinators Of The Huntington Study Group
Collaborators, Affiliations

The impact of oculomotor functioning on neuropsychological performance in Huntington disease

Janessa O Carvalho et al. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2016.

Abstract

Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative condition with prominent motor (including oculomotor), cognitive, and psychiatric effects. While neuropsychological deficits are present in HD, motor impairments may impact performance on neuropsychological measures, especially those requiring a speeded response, as has been demonstrated in multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia. The current study is the first to explore associations between oculomotor functions and neuropsychological performance in HD. Participants with impaired oculomotor functioning performed worse than those with normal oculomotor functioning on cognitive tasks requiring oculomotor involvement, particularly on psychomotor speed tasks, controlling for covariates. Consideration of oculomotor dysfunction on neuropsychological performance is critical, particularly for populations with motor deficits.

Keywords: Huntington disease; PREDICT-HD; neuropsychology; oculomotor functioning; processing speed.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure Statement: Dr. Janessa Carvalho has no interests to declare. Dr. Jeffrey Long has a consulting agreement with NeuroPhage, LLC. Dr. Megan Smith has no interests to declare. Dr. Jared Bruce has no interests to declare. Mr. James Mills has no interests to declare. Dr. Ji-In Kim has no interests to declare. Dr. Jane Paulsen has served on an advisory board for Lundbeck, LLC and has a consulting agreement with ProPhase, LLC.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Fitted Trail Making Test A curves for two hypothetical impairment groups paneled by progression (one gene-negative and three gene-positive).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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