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A novel method for objective quantification of apathy based on gaze and physiological reactivity to stimuli presented
Ramit Ravona-Springer1,2,3, Or Koren4, Noam Galor4
1Geriatric Psychiatry and Memory Unit, Sheba Tel-HaShomer Medical Center Tel Aviv Israel.
Introduction:
We developed a tool for objective quantification of apathy.
Methods:
Participants (n = 97; 67 with cognitive impairment, 30 cognitively normal; mean age = 74.3 ± 6.2 years, 56.7% females) were exposed to emotional and cognitive stimuli in a virtual reality environment. Gaze metrics (time to first fixation [TTFF] and total fixation duration [TFD]) and autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity were measured. Apathy and depression were clinically assessed using the Lille Apathy Rating Scale short version and the Geriatric Depression Scale 15-item version, respectively. Cutoffs of ≥ -7 and ≥ 5 were used to define apathy and depression, respectively.
Results:
The sample comprised 14 participants with apathy only, 9 with depression only, 10 with both, 63 with neither, and 1 with missing data. For all emotional stimuli, participants with apathy only showed longer TTFF (P = 0.039, effect sizes [ES] = 0.798), and shorter TFD (P = 0.023, ES = 0.578) compared to those without apathy or depression. ANS reactivity was not associated with apathy.
Discussion:
Apathy is associated with decreased gaze engagement at emotional stimuli.
Highlights:
Apathy measurement via questionnaires is limited by subjectivity biases.Apathy measurement via questionnaires is limited by simplistic scoring.We present a novel method for objective measurement of apathy.Gaze characteristics reflect the emotional and cognitive components of apathy.
