Abnormal ocular motor control in Huntington's disease.
We studied eye movements in 50 patients with Huntington's disease. Fixation was impaired in 73% of patients; such individuals had difficulty in suppressing saccades toward novel visual stimuli. Impaired initiation of saccades was manifest by increased reaction time (89%) and inability to make a saccade without head movement (89%) or blink (35%). Saccades and quick phases of nystagmus were slowed in 62%. Smooth pursuit was abnormal in 60%, and vergence in 33%. The vestibulo-ocular reflex and the ability to hold eccentric gaze were preserved even late in the disease.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005133:Eye Movements; D005260:Female; D005403:Fixation, Ocular; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement