Eye movements in general neurology and its subspecialties: introduction to the topical collection

Excerpt

I am sure that all of us in the neurological specialties remember our fascination with neuro-ophthalmology while we were training as residents, often seeing the clinical examination of eye movements, the reactions of the pupil, and examination of the ocular fundus as vital tools for seeing how the brain functions and malfunctions as well as pointing to the location of the lesion. For many of us, this aspect of neurology led to a choice of careers in neuro-ophthalmology or neuro-otology but even for those who chose other subspecialties, the neuro-ophthalmological examination was still a key part of the examination. This importance of eye movements is not surprising as above all we are visual creatures and, without exaggeration, almost all the brain, including areas associated with the highest levels of cognition—memory, prediction, attention, motivation, and affect—are influenced by or themselves influence ocular motor behavior. Consequently, for both basic neuroscientists of many ilks and medical practitioners from many specialties, eye movements become a window to the brain. …