The effects of change in head-position on oculomotor controls in the normal and the ophthalmologic and neurological diseases

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K09767
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56060:Ophthalmology-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: SAWAMURA HIROMASA 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (70444081)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: サッケード

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The effects of change in head-position on eye-movements or eye-positions were evaluated with a head-mounted video-oculography in healthy volunteers as well as patients with medullary infarction and trochlear nerve palsy. The healthy volunteers exhibited lower maximum velocity of saccades in lateral position than that in sitting position. No significant difference was observed between in the right and left lateral position, suggesting that, not the direction of gravity, but the change in the head-position affected the maximum velocity of the saccadic movements. Eye-positions of patients with medullary infarction were affected by the change in head-position. In comparison, patients with trochlear nerve palsy did not exhibit the effects of different head-positions. These results demonstrated that quantitative evaluation of eye-positions or eye-movements can differentiate these ocular motility disorders.

Free Research Field

眼科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では座位という頭位を固定した状態での測定を中心とした従来のアプローチ方法と異なり、ヘッドマウント型眼球運動解析装置を用いることで、日常に近い頭位変化を伴う眼位・眼球運動の評価を行うことが可能であった。頭位変化が眼位・眼球運動へ及ぼす影響を見出しただけなく、その定量的評価が可能であることを示した。本研究は正常の生理学的見地のみならず、中枢性および末梢性眼球運動障害の鑑別といった、疾患の病態生理の見地からもアプローチを可能にすることで眼球運動制御機構の理解を進めることが可能であると考えられ、同時にリハビリ分野など他分野への応用も期待できる学術的・社会的に重要な研究であると考えられる。