Restricted gaze behavior under static visual stimuli in patients with persistent postural-perceptual dizziness

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Ophthalmology
• Psychology

Background:

• Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) is characterized by chronic dizziness exacerbated by movement.
• Gaze behavior in static conditions for PPPD patients remains under-investigated.
• Understanding visual processing in PPPD is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate gaze stability and visual fixation patterns in patients with PPPD under static visual stimuli.
• To compare gaze behavior in PPPD patients with those diagnosed with Ménière's disease (MD) and healthy controls (HC).

Main Methods:

• Recruited three groups: 22 PPPD, 9 MD, and 19 HC participants.
• Utilized virtual reality headsets with gaze-recording systems for free viewing of neutral images.
• Measured Bivariate Contour Ellipse Area (BCEA) for gaze stability and saliency values at fixation points.

Main Results:

• PPPD patients demonstrated significantly smaller BCEA compared to MD and HC groups, indicating restricted gaze.
• High anxiety levels were identified as a potential confounding factor in PPPD gaze behavior.
• No significant differences in saliency value fixation were observed across the three groups.

Conclusions:

• While all groups fixated on salient image areas, PPPD patients exhibited gaze confined to a smaller region.
• The restricted gaze in static conditions for PPPD may represent a different aspect of visual processing compared to gaze instability observed under dynamic stimuli.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the relationship between anxiety, gaze control, and PPPD symptoms.