The APS journal Psychological Science is the highest ranked empirical journal in psychology. The findings suggest the potential of pupil reactivity to serve as a biomarker of brain aging and warrant further longitudinal study to assess if changes in the PLR can predict cognitive decline over time.īrain aging Cognition Middle-aged and elderly Pupil constriction Pupil light reflex (PLR). Constricted pupils, on the other hand, tend to be perceived as a sign of threat. In this study, we provided moderate evidence suggesting the association between PLR and neuropsychological cognitive measures.

Pupil constriction amplitude in millimeters and the duration from stimulus onset to maximal constriction velocity were significantly associated with cognition after adjusting for (1) age and sex and (2) age, sex, and multiple covariates (p < 0.05).

Pupils respond to three distinct kinds of stimuli: they constrict in response to brightness (the pupil light response), constrict in response to near fixation (the pupil near response), and dilate in response to increases in arousal and mental effort, either triggered by an external stimulus or spontaneously.

The PCA scores decreased by 0.039 per year increase in age and were lower in males than females by 0.76 (p < 0.001). Linear regression was used to assess the association between pupil parameters and PCA scores, adjusting for age, sex, education, medications, health-related quality of life questionnaire, and systemic and ocular comorbidities. A fully dilated pupil is typically in the 4 to 8 millimeters in size, while a constricted pupil is in the 2 to 4. A principal component analysis (PCA) score was used to calculate an overall performance over four cognitive testings. When there’s a lot of bright light, your pupils will become smaller (constrict). Ten pupil parameters were calculated to describe pupil constriction to light stimuli. Pupils are the black circles in the middle of your eyes. The condition is also called pupillary miosis. Pupil reactivity was recorded in a subgroup of 403 participants (mean age 60.7 years, 57.3% females) in an epidemiologic study of aging. Miosis of the eye refers to having small or constricted pupils. MAO inhibitors and other antidepressants, and. However, if you experience persistent pinpoint pupils (also known as miotic pupils) in dim light, it is possible you have abnormal miosis. Non-opioid drugs that can cause constricted pupils include: Hypertension medications such as clonidine or tetrahydrozoline. Pupils also constrict whenever you’re focusing on an object that is very close. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the association between the PLR and cognition in community-dwelling middle-aged and older individuals. Though opioid drugs tend to be among the most common that affect pupil constriction, other medications may also have an effect on the pupils’ ability to dilate. The evidence relating the pupil light reflex (PLR) and cognition have been inconsistent.

Constricted pupils psychology