Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate the association between pupillary light response (PLR) and mental health symptoms in adolescents. Then evaluate the possibility of developing mental health screening models using a pupillometry.
Methods :
This cross-sectional study enrolled 1,181 college students aged 15-25 years old. PLR parameters were examined in a dark room using a digital pupillometry and SCl-90 questionnaire was used to evaluate mental health symptoms. Multivariable Logistic Regressions were used to evaluate the association between mental health symptoms and pupillary characteristics adjusted for age and sex. The discrimination capacity of the model was assessed using ROC and AUC with 10-fold cross-validation
Results :
Somatization, obsessive-compulsive, depression, anxiety, anger-hostility, phobic-anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism were associates with PLR parameters (OR: 0.04-22.5, P<0.05). Among all the parameters evaluated, right constriction latency can potentially predict somatization (AUC=0.78, 95%CI [0.63, 0.85]); left maximum constriction velocity can potentially predict depression (AUC=0.76, 95%CI [0.65, 0.82]); and the difference in constriction latency between two eyes can predict anger-hostility (AUC= 0.79, 95%CI [0.73, 0.86]).
Conclusions :
Preliminary results suggest that pupil characteristics can provide useful cues to discriminate psychological symptoms such as somatization, depression, and anger-hostility. Digital pupillometry has the potential to serve as a simple and measurable tool for large-scale screening of mental health problems.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.