iVOMS: Instrumented Vestibular Ocular Motor Screen in healthy controls and mild traumatic brain injury

Lisa Graham, Dylan Powell, Kody R. Campbell, Rosie Morris, Rodrigo Vitorio, Lucy Parrington, Prokopios Antonellis, Alan Godfrey, Laurie A. King, Sam Stuart*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Vestibular/ocular deficits occur with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The vestibular/ocular motor screening (VOMS) tool is used to assess individuals post-mTBI, which primarily relies upon subjective self-reported symptoms. Instrumenting the VOMS (iVOMS) with technology may allow for more objective assessment post-mTBI, which reflects actual task performance. This study aimed to validate the iVOMS analytically and clinically in mTBI and controls.

METHODS: Seventy-nine people with sub-acute mTBI (<12 weeks post-injury) and forty-four healthy control participants performed the VOMS whilst wearing a mobile eye-tracking on a one-off visit. People with mTBI were included if they were within 12 weeks of a physician diagnosis. Participants were excluded if they had any musculoskeletal, neurological or sensory deficits which could explain dysfunction. A series of custom-made eye tracking algorithms were used to assess recorded eye-movements.

RESULTS: The iVOMS was analytically valid compared to the reference (ICC2,1 0.85-0.99) in mTBI and controls. The iVOMS outcomes were clinically valid as there were significant differences between groups for convergence, vertical saccades, smooth pursuit, vestibular ocular reflex and visual motion sensitivity outcomes. However, there was no significant relationship between iVOMS outcomes and self-reported symptoms.

CONCLUSION: The iVOMS is analytically and clinically valid in mTBI and controls, but further work is required to examine the sensitivity of iVOMS outcomes across the mTBI spectrum. Findings also highlighted that symptom and physiological issue resolution post-mTBI may not coincide and relationships need further examination.
Original languageEnglish
Article number104180
Number of pages9
JournalMedical Engineering and Physics
Volume129
Early online date8 May 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2024

Keywords

  • mTBI
  • eye movement
  • eye-tracking
  • biomarker
  • VOMS
  • vestibular
  • ocular
  • Biomarker
  • Ocular
  • Eye-tracking
  • Eye movement
  • Vestibular

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