000164186 001__ 164186
000164186 005__ 20251127172930.0
000164186 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.3390/jcm14217742
000164186 0248_ $$2sideral$$a146364
000164186 037__ $$aART-2025-146364
000164186 041__ $$aeng
000164186 100__ $$0(orcid)0000-0003-2797-5011$$aRomero-Sanz, María$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000164186 245__ $$aOculomotor Control in Preterm Infants: Insights from Eye-Tracking Technology
000164186 260__ $$c2025
000164186 5060_ $$aAccess copy available to the general public$$fUnrestricted
000164186 5203_ $$aBackground/Objectives: This study aims to investigate the development of oculomotor behavior in children born preterm using a DIVE device (Device for an Integral Visual Examination) equipped with eye-tracking technology. Visual and visuo-cognitive measures obtained through eye-tracking technology provide quantitative and sensitive indicators of early neural development, as visual function is one of the earliest cerebral processes to develop postnatally. Design: This is a cross-sectional study. Participants: The study included 428 children aged 0.5 to 14 years. Of these, 214 were born preterm (78 late preterm, born at 32–36 weeks’ gestation, and 136 early preterm, born at less than 32 weeks’ gestation) and 214 were full-term controls, matched by age and gender. Methods: All participants underwent a comprehensive ophthalmological assessment. Oculomotor behavior was analyzed using a DIVE device, focusing on fixation duration, saccadic performance and fixation stability. Fixation stability was quantified by the bivariate contour ellipse area for short tasks (BCEA), which measures (in deg2) the area of the ellipse enclosing a specified percentage of fixation positions—smaller BCEA values indicate greater fixation stability. We performed a cluster analysis on these oculomotor metrics to identify distinct oculomotor control patterns. Results: Preterm children exhibited significantly poorer fixation stability than controls (mean BCEA 0.21 vs. 0.09 logdeg2, p = 0.004), alongside shorter fixation durations and longer saccadic reaction times. Early preterm children showed more unstable fixations compared to late-preterm and control groups (0.26 vs. 0.12 and 0.09 logdeg2, respectively, p = 0.001). Cluster analysis revealed three distinct OMC (oculomotor control) patterns: “good,” “impulsive,” and “poor.” Children classified in the “good OMC” cluster demonstrated stable fixations and appropriate saccadic reaction times. In contrast, those in the “impulsive OMC” and “poor OMC” clusters exhibited more unstable fixations and abnormal saccadic times, with the “poor” cluster being significantly associated with extreme prematurity, lower birth weights, and a higher incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Conclusions: Preterm birth is associated with measurable oculomotor deficits, most pronounced in early preterm infants, affecting their fixation and saccadic abilities. The findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to support the development of preterm children, particularly those with “poor” oculomotor control behavior.
000164186 536__ $$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/ISCIII/FIS/PI21-01977$$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/ISCIII/RD21-0012-0012$$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PTQ-010775$$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/UZ/DI 7/2020
000164186 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess$$aby$$uhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es
000164186 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
000164186 700__ $$aPérez-Roche, Teresa
000164186 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-5592-8442$$aVilella Cenis, Marina
000164186 700__ $$aAlejandre Escriche, Adrián
000164186 700__ $$aEsteban-Ibañez, Eduardo
000164186 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0003-3161-3793$$aOrtin Obon, Marta
000164186 700__ $$aLacort-Beltrán, Marta
000164186 700__ $$aPrieto Calvo, Esther
000164186 700__ $$aCastillo Castejón, Olimpia
000164186 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-1777-0349$$aPueyo Royo, Victoria$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000164186 7102_ $$11013$$2646$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Cirugía$$cÁrea Oftalmología
000164186 7102_ $$11011$$2615$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Microb.Ped.Radio.Sal.Pú.$$cÁrea Medic.Prevent.Salud Públ.
000164186 773__ $$g14, 21 (2025), 7742 [15 pp.]$$pJ. clin.med.$$tJournal of Clinical Medicine$$x2077-0383
000164186 8564_ $$s834574$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/164186/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yVersión publicada
000164186 8564_ $$s2855003$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/164186/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yVersión publicada
000164186 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:164186$$particulos$$pdriver
000164186 951__ $$a2025-11-27-15:16:41
000164186 980__ $$aARTICLE