A novel method for objective quantification of apathy based on gaze and physiological reactivity to stimuli presented in a virtual reality environment
Abstract 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 metr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70020 |
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| author | Ramit Ravona‐Springer Or Koren Noam Galor Michal Lapid Yotam Bahat Ronen Fluss Meytal Wilf Shlomit Zorani Uri Rosenblum Michal Schnaider Beeri Meir Plotnik |
| author_facet | Ramit Ravona‐Springer Or Koren Noam Galor Michal Lapid Yotam Bahat Ronen Fluss Meytal Wilf Shlomit Zorani Uri Rosenblum Michal Schnaider Beeri Meir Plotnik |
| author_sort | Ramit Ravona‐Springer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fa46ffbc873e41298c35d6f2e98c6bc7 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2352-8729 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring |
| spelling | doaj-art-fa46ffbc873e41298c35d6f2e98c6bc72025-08-20T02:09:58ZengWileyAlzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring2352-87292025-01-01171n/an/a10.1002/dad2.70020A novel method for objective quantification of apathy based on gaze and physiological reactivity to stimuli presented in a virtual reality environmentRamit Ravona‐Springer0Or Koren1Noam Galor2Michal Lapid3Yotam Bahat4Ronen Fluss5Meytal Wilf6Shlomit Zorani7Uri Rosenblum8Michal Schnaider Beeri9Meir Plotnik10Geriatric Psychiatry and Memory Unit, Sheba Tel‐HaShomer Medical CenterTel AvivIsraelCenter of Advanced Technologies in RehabilitationSheba Tel‐HaShomer Medical CenterRamat GanIsraelCenter of Advanced Technologies in RehabilitationSheba Tel‐HaShomer Medical CenterRamat GanIsraelThe Joseph Sagol Neuroscience CenterSheba Tel‐HaShomer Medical CenterTel AvivIsraelCenter of Advanced Technologies in RehabilitationSheba Tel‐HaShomer Medical CenterRamat GanIsraelThe Biostatistics and Biomathematics Unit, The Gertner Institute for Health Policy and EpidemiologySheba Tel‐HaShomer Medical CenterRamat GanIsraelCenter of Advanced Technologies in RehabilitationSheba Tel‐HaShomer Medical CenterRamat GanIsraelThe Joseph Sagol Neuroscience CenterSheba Tel‐HaShomer Medical CenterTel AvivIsraelCenter of Advanced Technologies in RehabilitationSheba Tel‐HaShomer Medical CenterRamat GanIsraelKrieger Klein Alzheimer's Research CenterRutgers Brain Health InstituteNew Brunswick New Jersey USACenter of Advanced Technologies in RehabilitationSheba Tel‐HaShomer Medical CenterRamat GanIsraelAbstract 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.https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70020apathyautonomic nervous systemcognitive component of apathycognitive impairmentdementiaemotional component of apathy |
| spellingShingle | Ramit Ravona‐Springer Or Koren Noam Galor Michal Lapid Yotam Bahat Ronen Fluss Meytal Wilf Shlomit Zorani Uri Rosenblum Michal Schnaider Beeri Meir Plotnik A novel method for objective quantification of apathy based on gaze and physiological reactivity to stimuli presented in a virtual reality environment Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring apathy autonomic nervous system cognitive component of apathy cognitive impairment dementia emotional component of apathy |
| title | A novel method for objective quantification of apathy based on gaze and physiological reactivity to stimuli presented in a virtual reality environment |
| title_full | A novel method for objective quantification of apathy based on gaze and physiological reactivity to stimuli presented in a virtual reality environment |
| title_fullStr | A novel method for objective quantification of apathy based on gaze and physiological reactivity to stimuli presented in a virtual reality environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | A novel method for objective quantification of apathy based on gaze and physiological reactivity to stimuli presented in a virtual reality environment |
| title_short | A novel method for objective quantification of apathy based on gaze and physiological reactivity to stimuli presented in a virtual reality environment |
| title_sort | novel method for objective quantification of apathy based on gaze and physiological reactivity to stimuli presented in a virtual reality environment |
| topic | apathy autonomic nervous system cognitive component of apathy cognitive impairment dementia emotional component of apathy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70020 |
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