An Assessment of Electroencephalogram (EEG) Eyeblink Artifact as a Clinical Measurement in Parkinsons Patients

Parkinsons is a clinical diagnosis, with limited diagnostic capability in the subtle, early stages of disease. As a complex neuro-muscular reflex, the natural eyeblink may provide clues towards the presence of Parkinsons. Though reduced blink rate and blink hyper-excitability are well-known phenomenon in Parkinson's patients, these can be difficult to quantify. The objective of this study was to assess eyeblink artifact on EEG as a potential data source, in order to identify quantitative values that may relate to a disease-state.