Methods and devices for treating unilateral neglect

• US 6,206,702 B1
• Filed: 08/24/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deborah A. Hayden, William T. Cranford
• Original Assignee: Deborah A. Hayden, William T. Cranford
• Inventors: Cranford, William T., Hayden, Deborah A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US09/379,971
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 600/558, 600/300, 128/905, 128/920, 434/236, 434/327, 351/203, 351/209
• 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 5/4076 Diagnosing or monitoring particular conditions of the nervous system A61B5/4821, A61B5/4824 take precedence

Abstract

Unilateral neglect is treated using a computer-controlled therapy system and method, and a stored computer program. A patient requiring therapy is placed in front of a computer controlled display. Stimuli are displayed on the screen to the patient, and responses to the stimuli on the side of the patient subject to neglect are solicited. The stimuli may be presented in the form of an age-appropriate activity or game. The responses are quantitatively evaluated and the difficulty of the activity or game is adjusted in accordance with the evaluation. Various audio and video distractions may be provided to adjust the level of difficulty, and the evaluations may include measurement of the number of correct stimulus responses within a predetermined period of time, the length of time a patient neglects a stimulus appearing on that patient'"'"'s neglected side, or both. The difficulty may be adjusted by adjusting various properties of the interactive stimuli, such as brightness, geometric complexity, visual contrast, speed of movement, and apparent dimensionality.

Claims

1. A method for providing therapy for a patient afflicted with unilateral neglect, the method comprising:

a) providing a computer-controlled display screen in front of the patient;

b) displaying, on the display screen under computer control, interactive stimuli to the patient, the interactive stimuli including stimuli on a side of the display screen subject to the patient'"'"'s neglect;

c) soliciting responses from the patient including responses related to the stimuli on the side subject to neglect; and

d) evaluating the responses of the patient to the solicited responses relating to the stimuli on the side subject to neglect to obtain a performance evaluation indicative of a level of success of the patient in overcoming the neglect.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

adjusting a level of difficulty presented by the interactive stimuli in accordance with the performance evaluation to increasingly exercise the patient'"'"'s responses to interactive stimuli on the side subject to neglect.

3. The method of claim 2 and further comprising:

providing sounds having a same source direction as the stimuli, as observed from a standpoint of the patient.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the displaying step comprises displaying stimuli situated on a non-neglected side of a vertical midline of the display screen.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the adjusting step comprises displaying moving stimuli from the non-neglected side to an opposite side of the vertical midline.

6. The method of claim 2 and further comprising providing sounds having a source direction originating from the stimuli, as observed from a standpoint of the patient.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the adjusting step is repeated a plurality of times, with additional distracting visual stimuli being presented to the patient on the screen, in accordance with the performance evaluations.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the adjusting step is repeated a plurality of times, with additional distracting sounds other than the sounds having a source direction originating from the stimuli, as observed from a standpoint of the patient.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the soliciting step includes providing at least one of a visual and an auditory challenge to the patient.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the evaluating step includes at least one step of a group of steps consisting of:

measuring a number of repetitions of the patient'"'"'s correct response to a stimulus on a neglected side of the display screen within a predetermined period of time; and

measuring a length of time the patient fails to respond to a stimulus on a neglected side of the display screen before a visual or auditory cue is required to focus attention of the patient.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the soliciting step includes providing at least one of a visual and auditory cue after providing the initial challenge to direct the patient'"'"'s attention to the stimuli on the side subject to neglect.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of providing one of a visual and auditory cue includes providing a visual cue starting on the non-neglected side and moving in a direction towards the neglected side.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the stimuli are presented in a video game, responses to the stimuli are provided via at least one member of a group consisting of a mouse, a touch pad, a touch screen, and a joystick, and the adjustment of the level of difficulty includes adjustment of at least one stimulus property selected from a group consisting of color, size, number of objects comprising the stimulus, associated sound direction, geometric complexity, visual contrast, brightness, speed of movement, and apparent dimensionality.

14. A device for providing therapy for a patient afflicted with unilateral neglect, the device comprising:

a) a display screen;

b) a computer including a stored program, the computer being coupled to the display screen to operatively display stimuli including stimuli on a side of the display screen subject to the patient'"'"'s neglect; and

c) an input device operatively coupled to the computer and configured to receive responses from the patient including responses evoked by the stimuli on the side subject to neglect;

the computer being configured so that the stored program controls the computer to present the stimuli and to evaluate responses received from the input device, the evaluation being indicative of a level of success of the patient in overcoming visual neglect.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the stored program is configured to adjust at least one stimulus property selected from a group consisting of color, size, number of objects comprising the stimulus, associated sound direction, geometric complexity, visual contrast, brightness, speed of movement, and apparent dimensionality.

16. The device of claim 15, and further comprising a sound source of adjustable apparent direction, the computer being coupled to the sound source and the stored program being configured to control the computer to produce a sound from the sound source, the sound having an apparent source of origin, from a standpoint of the patient, in a direction of a stimulus appearing on the display screen.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the stored program is configured to control the computer to adjust the stimulus property in accordance with at least one of:

(a) a number of repetitions of the patient'"'"'s correct response to a stimulus on a selected side of the display screen within a predetermined period of time; and

(b) a length of time before a correct response is received to a stimulus on a selected side of the display screen.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the stored program is configured to control the computer to present additional distracting stimuli of at least one type selected from the group consisting of visual and auditory distracting stimuli, the stored program also be configured to control the computer to present stimuli and distracting stimuli in accordance with the evaluated responses.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the stored program is configured control the computer to operate at least one of the display and the sound source to provide cues of at least one type selected from auditory and visual types.

20. A computer readable memory device containing a stored program for operating a computer, including instructions for a computer to display, on a selected portion of a display screen, interactive stimuli;

to solicit and process responses related to the interactive stimuli, and to quantitatively evaluate the responses relating to the stimuli, the evaluation being indicative of a level of success of a patient in overcoming visual neglect.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein the stored program includes instructions for a computer to adjust a level of difficulty of the solicited responses in accordance with the evaluation of the responses relating to the stimuli.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the stored program also includes instructions for controlling the computer to present distracting stimuli in accordance with the evaluation of the responses.