Pupil response as a window into cognitive processing in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Q3 Neuroscience

eNeurologicalSci Pub Date : 2025-07-10 DOI:10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100575

Mohamad El Haj , Souheil Hallit , Claire Boutoleau-Bretonnière

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Abstract

Purpose

This preliminary study aimed to investigate whether the pupil size reflects cognitive load in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Methods

Pupil activity was monitored in three patients with ALS and a group of healthy control participants (n = 16) while performing three tasks: a forward span task, a backward span task, and a control task involving counting aloud. These tasks were designed to impose increasing cognitive demands, with the backward span task being the most challenging.

Results

Analysis revealed no significant difference in pupil size between patients with ALS and controls for the forward or backward spans or the control condition. Both groups demonstrated a consistent pattern of increased pupil size during the backward span task compared to the forward span task, and during the forward span task compared to the control condition.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that pupil dilation reflects task-related cognitive load similarly in ALS patients and healthy controls. This supports the use of pupillometry as a non-invasive and sensitive marker of cognitive processing in ALS.

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瞳孔反应是肌萎缩性侧索硬化症认知过程的一个窗口

目的探讨肌萎缩性侧索硬化症（ALS）患者瞳孔大小是否反映认知负荷。方法监测3例ALS患者和一组健康对照者（n = 16）在执行3个任务时的瞳孔活动：前向跨距任务、后向跨距任务和包括大声计数的控制任务。这些任务旨在增加认知要求，其中向后跨度任务是最具挑战性的。结果肌萎缩侧索硬化症患者与对照组在前、后跨及对照条件下的瞳孔大小无显著差异。两组受试者在进行后向跨距任务时瞳孔尺寸均比前向跨距任务时大，在进行前向跨距任务时瞳孔尺寸均比对照组大。结论：肌萎缩侧索硬化症患者和健康对照者瞳孔扩张反映任务相关认知负荷相似。这支持使用瞳孔测量作为ALS患者认知过程的非侵入性和敏感标记。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

eNeurologicalSci Neuroscience-Neurology

CiteScore

3.50

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

62 days

期刊介绍： eNeurologicalSci provides a medium for the prompt publication of original articles in neurology and neuroscience from around the world. eNS places special emphasis on articles that: 1) provide guidance to clinicians around the world (Best Practices, Global Neurology); 2) report cutting-edge science related to neurology (Basic and Translational Sciences); 3) educate readers about relevant and practical clinical outcomes in neurology (Outcomes Research); and 4) summarize or editorialize the current state of the literature (Reviews, Commentaries, and Editorials). eNS accepts most types of manuscripts for consideration including original research papers, short communications, reviews, book reviews, letters to the Editor, opinions and editorials. Topics considered will be from neurology-related fields that are of interest to practicing physicians around the world. Examples include neuromuscular diseases, demyelination, atrophies, dementia, neoplasms, infections, epilepsies, disturbances of consciousness, stroke and cerebral circulation, growth and development, plasticity and intermediary metabolism. The fields covered may include neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, neuroendocrinology, neuroepidemiology, neurogenetics, neuroimmunology, neuroophthalmology, neuropathology, neuropharmacology, neurophysiology, neuropsychology, neuroradiology, neurosurgery, neurooncology, neurotoxicology, restorative neurology, and tropical neurology.