Visual search with finding car task in Alzheimer's Disease and mild cognitive impairment

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundWe evaluated visual search patterns in finding a car test in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).Method29 AD patients (mean age 72,5±7.9 years), 34 aMCI patients (mean age 70,6±6,7 years), and 32 healthy controls (HC) (mean age 68,5±6,2 years) were applied to detailed neuropsychological tests (NT). The visual scan task consisted of 16 pictures divided into 9 parts and the car was hidden in the given pictures. The picture with the car was designated as an area of interest. Participants were asked to find the car hidden in shown pictures. EyeLink 1000 Plus video eye tracker was used to record fixation duration, the number of fixation and saccade and, first fixation duration.ResultThere was no statistically significant difference in demographric features between groups (p<0,05). For the area of interest, fixation durations (p = 0,006), number of fixations, and saccades (p<0,001) were significantly decreased in AD patients than aMCI patients and HCs. Besides, the number of fixations in the area out of interest was significantly decreased in AD patients than HC’s (p = 0,001). The number of saccades was significantly decreased in AD patients compared to aMCI (p = 0,005). Moreover, the visual search was correlated to NT measurements (r = 0,2‐0,4).ConclusionScanning patterns in this visuospatial task‐ car finding were significantly different in AD than aMCI and HC. Visual search is a tool of documenting what and how people look at things in real life which might be used as a valid tool to distinguish AD from aMCI and HCs.