[The frequency of rapid eye movements and blinks as an activation indicator (author's transl)].

Electrooculographic (EOG) records were studied in 10 neurological patients with disturbances of activation according to clinical assessment and in 12 normal subjects. Rapid horizontal eye movements (saccades) and movements of the eyelids (blinks) were measured. It was concluded that the frequency distribution of blinks and saccades indicates activation deficits in a sensitive and reliable way. The continuous decrease of activation from orthological to pathological states could be shown by counting the frequencies of blinks and saccades. The relationship between the two variables is interpreted with regard to its functional significance.