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. 2022 Oct:141:104831.
doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104831. Epub 2022 Aug 20.

Effects of psychotropic drugs on ocular parameters relevant to traffic safety: A systematic review

Thomas R Arkell  1 , Ashley Brooks-Russell  2 , Luke A Downey  3 , Brook Shiferaw  4 , Timothy Brown  5 , James Sherrick  2 , Amie C Hayley  6
Affiliations

Effects of psychotropic drugs on ocular parameters relevant to traffic safety: A systematic review

Thomas R Arkell et al. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2022 Oct.

Abstract

Driving is a complex neurobehavioural task necessitating the rapid selection, uptake, and processing of visual information. Eye movements that are critical for the execution of visually guided behaviour such as driving are also sensitive to the effects of psychotropic substances. The Embase (via Ovid), EBSCOHost, Psynet, Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science databases were examined from January 01st, 2000 to December 31st, 2021. Study selection, data extraction and Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB2) assessments were conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. The review was prospectively registered (CRD42021267554). In total, 36 full-text articles examined the effects of six principal psychotropic drug classes on measures of oculomotor parameters relevant to driving. Centrally depressing substances affect oculomotor responses in a dose-dependent manner. Psychostimulants improve maximal speed, but not accuracy, of visual search behaviours. Inhaled Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) increases inattention (saccadic inaccuracy) but does not consistently affect other oculomotor parameters. Alterations to composite ocular parameters due to psychoactive substance usage likely differently compromises performance precision during driving through impaired ability to select and process dynamic visual information.

Keywords: Driving; Eye movement; Psychotropic; Saccade; Smooth pursuit; Visual.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations of Competing Interest AH is supported by a Rebecca L. Cooper Al and Val Rosenstrauss Fellowship (GNT: F2021894). AH, ABR and TB receive funding from the Institute for Cannabis Research at Colorado State University Pueblo Colorado. BS is employed by Seeing Machines; however, there are no conflicts of interest associated with this publication and no financial support was provided for this work that could have influenced its outcome. TA, LD, and JS have no conflicts of interests to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Adapted PRISMA Flow Diagram. From: Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 2021;372:n71. doi: 10.1136/bmj.n71 For more information, visit: http://www.prisma-statement.org/.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Risk of bias assessment based on author judgment for individual studies.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Summary graph of author judgments for each risk of bias criteria.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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