Methods for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia

• US 20020143240A1
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mclean Hospital (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mclean Hospital (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harper, David G., Lawrence, Janet M., Verma, Sumer D., Teicher, Martin H., Lowen, Steven B.
• Granted Patent: US 6,475,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1124 Determining motor skills
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/162 Testing reaction times
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4088 Diagnosing of monitoring cognitive diseases, e.g. Alzheimer, prion diseases or dementia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

Provided are methods for diagnosing the presence, type, or severity of a dementia in a human subject. The methods involve using a computer-based system to assess impairment of certain cognitive and motor functions that are indicative of Alzheimer'"'"'s disease and other forms of dementia.

Claims

1. A method of diagnosing the presence, type, or severity of a dementia in a human subject, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) placing, in proximity to said subject, (i) a monitor that is connected to a computer, and (ii) a device that is controllable by said subject and that is also connected to said computer;

(b) presenting to said subject instructions with respect to activating said device in response to visual images on said monitor;

(c) presenting to said subject one or more of said visual images on said monitor;

(d) storing in said computer the instances of device activation by said subject; and

(e) scoring the accuracy or response time, or both, of device activation, wherein scoring below a pre-determined level is diagnostic for dementia.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

(f) using a motion analysis device connected to said computer to record the movements of said subject during presentation of said visual images;

(g) storing the record of said movements in said computer;

(h) analyzing said recorded movements for deviations from pre-determined norms; and

(i) using the analysis of step (h) together with the scoring of step (e) in diagnosing dementia.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said dementia is associated with Alzheimer'"'"'s Disease, frontotemporal degenerative dementias, Huntington'"'"'s Disease, Creutzfeldt Jakob disease, Parkinson'"'"'s disease, cerebrovascular disease, head trauma, or substance abuse.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said dementia is associated with Alzheimer'"'"'s Disease.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said motion analysis device is a video camera.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said camera is an infrared camera capable of detecting an infrared reflective marker.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one infrared reflective marker is placed onto said subject.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said marker is positioned on the head of said subject.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein at least three markers are placed onto said subject.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said markers are positioned on the head, elbow, and shoulders of said subject.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said computer is connected to a second computer via the Internet or other computer network and said instructions or said images are conveyed to said subject across the Internet.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein said movements are recorded while said subject is performing a continuous performance task.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual images are selected from the group consisting of symbols, numbers, letters, and shapes.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said subject is instructed to activate said device when a specified image is displayed on said monitor.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said visual images are stars.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said visual images are five-pointed stars and eight-pointed stars.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said subject is instructed to activate said device when a star having a specified number of points is displayed on said monitor.