Comparison of vertical and horizontal saccade measures and their relation to gray matter changes in premanifest and manifest Huntington disease.

Saccades are a potentially important biomarker of Huntington disease (HD) progression, as saccadic abnormalities can be detected both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Although vertical saccadic impairment was reported decades ago, recent studies have focused on horizontal saccades. This study investigated antisaccade (AS) and memory guided saccade (MG) impairment in both the horizontal and vertical directions in individuals with the disease-causing CAG expansion (CAG+; n = 74), using those without the expansion (CAG-; n = 47) as controls.

Progression in prediagnostic Huntington disease.

Objective: To examine rates of decline in individuals at risk for Huntington disease (HD).

Methods: 106 individuals at risk for HD completed a battery of neurocognitive, psychomotor and oculomotor tasks at two visits, approximately 2.5 years apart.

Test-retest reliability of saccadic measures in subjects at risk for Huntington disease.

Purpose: Abnormalities in saccades appear to be sensitive and specific biomarkers in the prediagnostic stages of Huntington disease (HD). The goal of this study was to evaluate test-retest reliability of saccadic measures in prediagnostic carriers of the HD gene expansion (PDHD) and normal controls (NC).

Methods: The study sample included 9 PDHD and 12 NC who completed two study visits within an approximate 1-month interval.

Multiple step pattern as a biomarker in Parkinson disease.

Objective: To evaluate quantitative measures of saccades as possible biomarkers in early stages of Parkinson disease (PD) and in a population at-risk for PD.

Methods: The study sample (n=68) included mildly to moderately affected PD patients, their unaffected siblings, and control individuals. All participants completed a clinical evaluation by a movement disorder neurologist.

Visual scanning and cognitive performance in prediagnostic and early-stage Huntington's disease.

The objective of this study was to evaluate visual scanning strategies in carriers of the Huntington disease (HD) gene expansion and to test whether there is an association between measures of visual scanning and cognitive performance. The study sample included control (NC, n = 23), prediagnostic (PDHD, n = 21), and subjects recently diagnosed with HD (HD, n = 19). All participants completed a uniform clinical evaluation that included examination by neurologist and molecular testing.

Visual perception in prediagnostic and early stage Huntington's disease.

Disturbances of visual perception frequently accompany neurodegenerative disorders but have been little studied in Huntington's disease (HD) gene carriers. We used psychophysical tests to assess visual perception among individuals in the prediagnostic and early stages of HD. The sample comprised four groups, which included 201 nongene carriers (NG), 32 prediagnostic gene carriers with minimal neurological abnormalities (PD1); 20 prediagnostic gene carriers with moderate neurological abnormalities (PD2), and 36 gene carriers with diagnosed HD.

Recent drinking history: association with family history of alcoholism and the acute response to alcohol during a 60 mg% clamp.

Objective: Family history of alcoholism (FHA) is associated with increased drinking history, which can be a confounding factor in studies of the influence of FHA on the acute response to alcohol. The objective of this analysis was to investigate the association between recent drinking history (RDH) and FHA in a sample of family history positive (FHP; n = 55, 28 women) and family history negative (FHN; n = 55, 29 women) subjects, and to explore the influence of RDH on the response to alcohol during a 60 mg% clamp.

Method: RDH was measured using daily diary and timeline followback methods.

Saccadic eye movements are associated with a family history of alcoholism at baseline and after exposure to alcohol.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of family history of alcoholism (FHA) on the response of saccadic eye movements to alcohol.

Method: Saccadic performance was evaluated in 54 healthy adult subjects with a FHA (family history-positive) and 49 controls (family history-negative). Alcohol and placebo sessions were presented in counterbalanced order.