Oculomotor deficits in children adopted from Eastern Europe

Abstract

Aim: We aim to assess oculomotor behaviour in children adopted from Eastern Europe, who are at high risk of maternal alcohol consumption.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 29 adoptees and 29 age-matched controls. All of them underwent a complete ophthalmological examination. Oculomotor control, including fixation and saccadic performance, was assessed using a DIVE device, with eye tracking technology. Anthropometric and facial measurements were obtained from all the adopted children, to identify features of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Fixational and saccadic outcomes were compared between groups, and the effect of adoption and FASD features quantified.

Results: Oculomotor performance was poorer in adopted children. They presented shorter (0.53 vs 1.43 milliseconds in the long task and 0.43 vs 0.82 in the short task) and more unstable fixations (with a bivariate contour ellipse area of 27.9 vs 11.6 degree² during the long task and 6.9 vs 1.3 degree² during the short task) and slower saccadic reactions (278 vs 197 milliseconds). Children with sentinel finding for FASD showed the worst oculomotor outcomes.

Conclusion: Children adopted from Eastern Europe present oculomotor deficits, affecting both fixation and saccadic skills. We highlight prenatal exposure to alcohol as the main cause for these deficits.

Keywords: eye tracking; fixation stability; foetal alcohol spectrum disorders; foetal alcohol syndrome; oculomotor control.