Method for diagnosing ADHD and related behavioral disorders

• US 20080021351A1
• Filed: 04/04/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mclean Hospital (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mclean Hospital (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ohashi, Kyoko, Teicher, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,469,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/168 Evaluating attention deficit, hyperactivity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence

Abstract

The invention features methods and systems for the diagnosis of ADHD and related disorders. The methods and systems of the invention can also be used to ascertain how much benefit an individual would derive from a particular therapy.

Claims

1. A method of diagnosing ADHD or a related disorder in a subject comprising the steps of:

(i) using a motion analysis device to record movements of said subject;

(ii) calculating the power spectral density of the oscillations in said movements; and

(iii) on the basis of said spectral density, determining whether said subject has said disorder.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said spectral density is calculated over a frequency range between 0.01 and 0.5 Hz.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said spectral density is calculated over a frequency range between 0.01 and 0.3 Hz.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said spectral density is calculated over a frequency range between 0.01 and 0.1 Hz.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said spectral density is calculated over a frequency range between 0.05 and 0.2 Hz.

11. The method of claims 1, 6, or 7, wherein said disorder is ADD, ADHD, or Hyperkinetic Disorder.

12. The method of claims 1, 6, or 7, further comprising continuous performance testing of said subject while recording said movements.

13. The method of claims 1, 6, or 7, wherein step (i) comprises measuring the activity of said subject using an infrared motion analysis system by tracking the movements of said subject'"'"'s head, leg, elbow, shoulder, hand, or foot using a camera.

6. A method of diagnosing ADHD or a related disorder in a subject comprising the steps of:

(i) using a motion analysis device to record movements of said subject;

(iv) calculating the number of spikes in said movements; and

(v) on the basis of said number, determining whether said subject has said disorder.

8. The method of claims 6 or 7, wherein said spikes have an amplitude of greater than 1 mm/sec.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said spikes have an amplitude of greater than 3 mm/sec.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said number of spikes is calculated for two or more different amplitudes.

7. A method of diagnosing ADHD or a related disorder in a subject comprising the steps of:

(i) using a motion analysis device to record movements of said subject;

(ii) calculating the time intervals between spikes in said movements; and

(iii) on the basis of said time intervals, determining whether said subject has said disorder.

14. A method for assessing the efficacy of a medicament for the treatment of ADHD or a related disorder in a subject diagnosed with said disorder, said method comprising:

(a) administering said medicament to said subject;

(b) using a motion analysis device to record movements of said subject while medicated;

(c) calculating the power spectral density of the oscillations in said movements; and

(d) on the basis of said spectral density, determining whether the symptoms of said disorder are ameliorated by said medicament.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

(e) prior to step (a), using a motion analysis device to record movements of said subject while unmedicated;

(f) calculating the power spectral density of the oscillations in said movements; and

(g) on the basis of said spectral density for step (c) and said spectral density for step (f), determining whether the symptoms of said disorder are ameliorated by said medicament.

16. A method for assessing the efficacy of a medicament for the treatment of ADHD or a related disorder in a subject diagnosed with said disorder, said method comprising:

(a) administering said medicament to said subject;

(b) using a motion analysis device to record movements of said subject while medicated;

(c) calculating the number of spikes in said movements; and

(d) on the basis of said number, determining whether the symptoms of said disorder are ameliorated by said medicament.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

(e) prior to step (a), using a motion analysis device to record movements of said subject while unmedicated;

(f) calculating the number of spikes in said movements; and

(g) on the basis of said number for step (c) and said number for step (f), determining whether the symptoms of said disorder are ameliorated by said medicament.

18. A method for assessing the efficacy of a medicament for the treatment of ADHD or a related disorder in a subject diagnosed with said disorder, said method comprising:

(a) administering said medicament to said subject;

(b) using a motion analysis device to record movements of said subject while medicated;

(c) calculating the time intervals between spikes in said movements; and

(d) on the basis of said time intervals, determining whether the symptoms of said disorder are ameliorated by said medicament.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

(e) prior to step (a), using a motion analysis device to record movements of said subject while unmedicated;

(f) calculating the time intervals between spikess in said movements; and

(g) on the basis of said time intervals for step (c) and said time intervals for step (f), determining whether the symptoms of said disorder are ameliorated by said medicament.

20. A system for diagnosing a disorder selected from ADHD and related disorders in a subject comprising:

(i) a motion analysis device;

(ii) a device for receiving and storing motion data; and

(iii) a processor provided with a computer program for analyzing said motion data to calculate the power spectral density of the oscillations in said motion.

23. The system of any of claims 20-22, wherein said motion analysis device comprises a camera for measuring the activity of a subject using infrared light.

21. A system for diagnosing a disorder selected from ADHD and related disorders in a subject comprising:

(i) a motion analysis device;

(ii) a device for receiving and storing motion data; and

(iii) a processor provided with a computer program for analyzing said motion data to calculate the number of spikes in said motion.

22. A system for diagnosing a disorder selected from ADHD and related disorders in a subject comprising:

(i) a motion analysis device;

(ii) a device for receiving and storing motion data; and

(iii) a processor provided with a computer program for analyzing said motion data to calculate the time intervals between spikes in said motion.