ADHD Eye Tracking
ADHD is a condition that causes both attention and hyperactivity issues. It’s commonly diagnosed during childhood and teenage years, but it can be diagnosed in adults. Testing used to diagnose ADHD is extensive and isn’t 100% accurate. New research offers information on a novel new method to diagnose ADHD.
Tel Aviv University conducted a study that was published in Vision Research, which offered insight on involuntary eye movement accuracy in regards to the presence of ADHD. In addition, it offered useful information on the benefits of stimulants as a treatment method for ADHD.
Moshe Fried, Ph.D., took part in the research and was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. His aim is to offer medical professionals with a new and effective diagnostic tool. While the initial goal was to offer a new tool, the secondary goal was to test how effective ADHD medication actually is for treating the condition.
According to his results, stimulates are highly effective in treating ADHD; there was a significant difference between the two groups used in the research study and the two sets of tests taken by participants who were medicated and then un-medicated.
Diagnosing ADHD doesn’t offer a reliable result using standard testing methods. The disorder is diagnosed by keeping a record of the patient’s medical and social history of both the patient and family, along with examining the patient’s behavior. The problem lies in the inability to accurately diagnose the disorder through observation and the risk of overmedication with stimulants like Ritalin.
The study involved an ADHD eye tracking system used to monitor involuntary eye movements between two groups of twenty-two adults. The diagnostic computer test is called the TOVA (Test of Variables of Attention). The test lasted for twenty-two minutes, and each participant completed the exercise twice. The first group consisted of individuals who were previously diagnosed with ADHD; they took the test without medication, and then took it again once they were medicated with methylphenidate. The controlled group consisted of participants without a diagnosis.
According to researchers, there is a direct correlation between ADHD and the inability to suppress eye movement in the anticipation of visual stimuli. Once given methylphenidate, which created normalized activity of involuntary eye movements, participants with ADHD displayed a significant improvement in performance.
According to research, tracking eye movements as a way of diagnosing ADHD is a practical, foolproof, affordable, and accessible diagnostic method. The testing process offers an additional benefit; it cannot be fooled. The ability to accurately test for ADHD can eliminate mistakes and misdiagnosis.