Development of the method to evaluate the cognitive function of pediatic patients with genetic intellectual disability syndromes by Gazefinder, an all-in-one eye tracking system

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K07819
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 52050:Embryonic medicine and pediatrics-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Wada Takahito 京都大学, 医学研究科, 特定教授 (70359727)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 土屋 賢治 浜松医科大学, 子どものこころの発達研究センター, 特任教授 (20362189)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 知的障害 / 注視点分布計測装置 / 認知機能 / 社会性 / 言語能力 / バイオマーカー / 視線計測 / ATR-X症候群

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Intoroduction; We need a method to evaluate the cognitive function of patients with severe intellectual disability objectively at clinical trials for new treatments. The aim of this study is to develope the method to evaluate the cognitive function of patients with genetic intellectual disabilities by Gazefinder, an all-in-one eye tracking system. Methods; Using Gazefinder, we analyzed the eye gazing pattern of 21 ATR-X patients and 31 Down syndrome patients. And evaluate the relationship between their eye gaze patterns and the score of KIDS, Kinder Infant Development Scale. Results; for ATR-X syndrome patients, there seemed a tendency of positive correlation between their social function and gazing ability. For Down syndrome, the patients who look at people more than at geometric pattern showed higher score at language comprehension and sociality ability. Conclusion; our data suggest that the eye gazing pattern can correlate with the language comprehension and sociality ability.

Free Research Field

小児神経学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

特に重度知的障害を持つお子さんに対して、認知機能や社会性を改善させる治療薬の治験や臨床研究を行う際の評価は、従来の評価方法で行うことは難しい。そこで、我々は、注視点分布計測装置（Gazefinder）を用いて、視線計測が知的障害患者の言語理解や社会性の発達の評価に有用である可能性を示した。有意語の獲得がなく、コミュニケーションが難しい知的障害を持つ子どもたちの教育ツールの開発や、その効果の評価に視線計測は有用であることが期待される。