Quantitative assessment of the pupillary photomotor response dynamics to tunable, narrow band stimuli

Abstract

Digital pupillography presents a "window" for studying the autonomous nervous system functionality, with an uprising research interest. Multiband pupillary responses are exploited only partially up to now, due to technological limitations of the devices developed so far and to the lack of the parameterization of the measured responses. We have developed a spectral binocular pupillographic device, capable of recording papillary responses to polychromatic stimuli spanning the entire visible spectrum. The recorded direct and consensual reflexes are further processed and novel pupil mobility indices such as velocity and acceleration vs. wavelength are calculated and displayed. The wavelength dependence of these parameters is studied for the first time and it is expected to be very informative for various pathologic conditions of the autonomous nervous system. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop a new diagnostic technology for the screening and diagnosis of a wide range of neurological pathologies.