A new study has found a distinctive neurological pattern among U.S. Embassy staffers and family members who were injured three years ago while stationed in Havana, Cuba. By analyzing videos taken during initial clinical evaluations, researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found staffers with neurological impairments had similar changes in eye movements and pupil responses.
“The patterns of response in these individuals are markedly different than those seen in a group of individuals with mild traumatic brain injuries and from a control group with no injury,” said Michael E. Hoffer, MD, professor of otolaryngology and neurological surgery. “Their distinctive presentation may help guide treatment decisions for individuals who report a similar cluster of auditory and neurological symptoms.”
Dr. Hoffer was a co-author of the study, “Distinctive Convergence Eye Movements in an Acquired Neurosensory Dysfunction.” Carey D. Balaban, PhD, professor of otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, was the lead author. Bonnie E. Levin, PhD, professor of neurology and director of the Division of Neuropsychology at the Miller School; Mikhaylo Szczupak, MD, a Miller School resident; and Alex Kiderman, PhD, vice president of Neurolign USA, LLC in Pittsburgh, were co-authors.
