Method For Assessing Auditory Attention And Vigilance

• US 20090202966A1
• Filed: 08/24/2005
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mclean Hospital (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mclean Hospital (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, Dennis M., Teicher, Martin H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,430,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/236
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/168 Evaluating attention deficit, hyperactivity

Abstract

Provided are methods for assessing the attentional state of a subject by scoring the subject'"'"'s response to auditory stimuli. The methods can be used to diagnose psychological and behavioral disorders, such as attention deficit disorder or hyperkinetic disorder.

Claims

1. A method of determining the attentional state of a subject, said method comprising the steps of:

a) defining target auditory stimuli consisting of number words, non-number words, or a combination thereof;

b) forming an array of pairs of auditory stimuli, wherein said array comprises target stimuli and non-target stimuli;

c) presenting said array as an uncued audio stream to said subject, wherein both words of each of said pairs are presented simultaneously;

d) scoring the target stimuli responded to by said subject; and

e) on the basis of the scoring in step (d), determining the attentional state of said subject.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said target auditory stimuli comprise non-number words.

3. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising the step of measuring the time required for said subject to respond to said target stimuli, wherein said determining of step e) is further based on said time required to respond and said scoring of step d).

4. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising scoring said non-target stimuli responded to by said subject in step d).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said non-target stimuli comprise a plurality of words, each of which is phonetically similar to one of said target stimuli, and said scoring of step d) further comprises scoring said similar words responded to by said subject.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said non-target stimuli comprises a plurality of phonetically dissimilar words, wherein each of said dissimilar words is phonetically dissimilar to each of said target stimuli, and said scoring of step d) further comprises scoring said dissimilar words responded to by said subject.

7. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising measuring the time required for said subject to respond to said target stimuli, wherein said determining of step e) is based on said measuring and said scoring of step d).

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking the movements of said subject, wherein said determining of step e) is further based on an evaluation of said movements and said scoring of step d).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said movements are tracked by a camera positioned in front of said subject.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said movements are those of the head, leg, or foot of said subject.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said target auditory stimuli are presented to the right ear and the left ear of said subject.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein one word of said pair is presented exclusively to the right ear of said subject and the other word of said pair is presented exclusively to the left ear of said subject in step c).

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the auditory acuity of each ear is assessed before step c) and said presenting is balanced accordingly.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

said scoring of step d) comprises,

i) scoring the target stimuli presented to the right ear responded to by said subject, and

ii) scoring the target stimuli presented to the left ear responded to by said subject; and

said determining of step e) comprises comparing said scoring of step i) with said scoring of step ii).

15. The method of any of the claims 1-14, said method further comprising simultaneously presenting to said subject a visual representation corresponding to each of said target auditory stimuli of step c), wherein said scoring is based on said subject responding to said visual representation.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said subject responds to said visual representation by selecting an image presented on a monitor connected to a computer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said visual representation is pictorial.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said visual representation is lexical.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said subject responds to said visual representation by selecting an image presented on a keyboard connected to a computer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said visual representation is pictorial.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said visual representation is lexical.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein each response is stored in a computer and said scoring of step d) and said determining of step e) are performed by a computer program.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said subject communicates with a test administrator across a network.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is used to diagnose a psychological or behavioral disorder.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said disorder is depression, bipolar disorder, an anxiety disorder, an auditory processing disorder, petit-mal epilepsy, schizophrenia, drug addiction, an eating disorder, attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, hyperkinetic disorder, a learning disorder, Alzheimer'"'"'s disease, dementia, stroke, or traumatic brain injury.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said disorder is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising comparing the scoring of step d) to the scores of other subjects diagnosed with said disorder.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising comparing the scoring of step d) to the scores of subjects not diagnosed with said disorder.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the scoring of step d) obtained when said subject is not undergoing therapy to a score obtained when said subject is undergoing therapy.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein said subject is sleep-deprived, emotionally stressed, or physically exerted.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is used for evaluating the readiness of said subject for starting school or being promoted to the next grade or level.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is used for determining the eligibility of said subject for obtaining a driver'"'"'s license.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is used for determining the suitability of said subject for a position as an air traffic controller, pilot, emergency room doctor, surgeon, police officer, military officer, or fire-fighter.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein said subject is at least 12 years old.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein said subject is 12 years old or less.