SBIR Phase I: Identifying Interictal Features of Epilepsy With Oculometric Data from a Naturalistic Setting

这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力将是通过使用眼动追踪测量来检测癫痫发作、与癫痫相关的神经认知症状以及抗癫痫药物的副作用，从而改善癫痫患者的治疗和认知功能。在美国，癫痫每年造成的直接成本估计为280亿美元，并影响患者及其护理人员的生活质量。提出的眼动追踪技术与癫痫检测和认知监测模块相结合，将产生积极的经济和社会影响。例如，一些癫痫患者可能能够更快地重返工作岗位，护理人员监测癫痫发作和副作用的负担可能会减轻。早期识别合并症可以使简单的干预措施，如在教室提供额外支持，改善长期结果。此外，这项技术将帮助临床医生诊断并将耐药患者转介到专门的癫痫中心，比目前平均18年的时间要快得多。最后，该解决方案将改善新的抗癫痫药物临床试验中的副作用监测，并有助于优化剂量建议。这些进步反过来将加速新的抗癫痫疗法的发展。这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）一期项目旨在通过在自然环境中被动观察眼球运动来客观可靠地识别癫痫发作，监测神经认知症状和药物副作用，从而改善癫痫患者的生活。提出的解决方案将使用可穿戴设备收集一段时间内的眼球运动数据，并对这些数据进行分析，以量化与注意力和阅读速度等认知功能受损相关的变化。然后，这些数据将用于制定个性化的治疗反应概况，以协助临床医生管理癫痫。这个NSF一期项目的目标是确定非癫痫发作，自发眼动数据是否可以提供临床特征的见解，包括癫痫发作的改善或恶化以及可能的抗癫痫药物副作用。随着时间的推移和药物调整的进行，该项目将推进被动眼动追踪数据与金标准神经精神评估的比较。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be to improve the treatment and cognitive function of epilepsy patients by using eye-tracking measurements to detect seizures, neurocognitive symptoms associated with epilepsy, and side effects of anti-epilepsy drugs. Epilepsy results in an estimated $28 B in direct costs annually in the U.S. and affects the quality of life of patients and their caregivers. The proposed eye tracking technology paired with seizure detection and cognition monitoring modules will have a positive economic and societal impact. For example, some patients with epilepsy may be able to return to work sooner, and the burden on caregivers to monitor seizures and side effects may be reduced. Earlier identification of co-morbidities can enable simple interventions, such as additional support in classrooms, to improve long-term outcomes. In addition, the technology will help clinicians diagnose and refer drug-resistant patients to specialized epilepsy centers, much sooner than the current average time of 18 years. Finally, the solution will improve side effect monitoring in clinical trials for new antiepileptic drugs and help optimize dose recommendations. These advances in turn will accelerate the development of new anti-epileptic therapies. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to improve the lives of epilepsy patients by using passive observation of eye movements in a naturalistic setting to objectively and reliably identify seizures and monitor neurocognitive symptoms and drug side effects. The proposed solution will use a wearable device to collect eye movement data over time, and this data will be analyzed to quantify changes associated with impairments in cognitive functions like attention and reading speed. This data then will be used to develop a personalized therapy response profile to assist clinicians in managing epilepsy. The goal of this NSF Phase I project is to determine whether non-seizure, spontaneous eye movement data can provide insight into clinical features, including the improvement or worsening of seizures and possible antiepileptic drug side effects. This project will advance a comparison of passive eye tracking data to gold standard neuropsychiatric assessments over time and as medication adjustments are made.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.