[The gaze and functional hemispheric activation in normal subjects]

The aim of this work was to determine whether the study of lateral and vertical conjugated eye movement could serve as an indicator of the functional hemispheric activation. Questions of vocabulary, calculation, logic (V.C.L.) and visuo-spatial instructions, as well as music-listening (V.S.M.), were proposed to 60 control subjects (21 men, 39 women). They were divided in 4 groups of 15 according to their laterality (complete right handed, incomplete right handed, ambidextrous, left handed). Eye movements were recorded using a video system. Deviations of the eyes towards the right and left, upwards and downwards, as well as episodes of staring were noted. Concerning V.C.L. questions, there was a significant correlation between conjugated lateral eye movements and the contralateral hemisphere activation. The study of vertical eye movements revealed a correlation only in complete right-handed and left-handed subjects: deviation upwards during the left hemisphere activation, and downwards during the right hemisphere activation. This pattern of response was no longer found during V.S.M. questions which, in the 4 groups, evoked staring episodes in 56 to 72 per cent of the cases. The negative emotional stimuli (emotional words, non verbal stimuli, stressful situations) evoked preferentially, but independently of laterality, deviations towards the left and downwards in favor of the right hemisphere activation. This method of observation of eye movements seems therefore of significant interest in Neuropsychology, provided that methodologic rules are rigorously respected.