Apparatus and method for differentiating between low sensory attentional disorder and affective disorders

• US 6,453,193 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald R. Bars, Heyrend F. Lamarr
• Original Assignee: Donald R. Bars, Heyrend F. Lamarr
• Inventors: Bars, Donald R., Heyrend, F. LaMarr
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnithithadha, Navin
• Application Number:
  US09/808,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 600/544, 600/545
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/168 Evaluating attention deficit, hyperactivity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/378 Visual stimuli

Abstract

An apparatus and method of testing an individual to identify whether the individual is experiencing: (a) solely an attention disorder (ADD) based upon a low sensory arousal system; (b) another disorder (attentive-type); or (c) a combination of low sensory system attention disorder (ADD) and other attentive disorders.

Claims

1. A method of identifying the low sensory input system attentional disorder(s) of a person, said method for use with an EEG Data Acquisition and Analysis System which is electrically interconnected to a head assembly containing a plurality of EEG electrodes for sensing brain waves, wherein said method further utilizes a device operable to display a series of paradigms of a pre-selected design, illumination, and frequency, said paradigms evoking brain wave responses sensed by said EEG electrodes and sent to a microprocessor for synchronizing the recording and averaging, said method comprising the steps of:

attaching said electrodes to the scalp of said person at predetermined electrode placement locations for measuring said person'"'"'s brain waves;

positioning said person to view said paradigms;

displaying to said person sequentially displayed paradigms;

measuring the maximum amplitude of theta activity at a first electrode placement location during a plurality of points in time after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms, averaging said theta activity measurements to determine a theta number;

measuring the maximum amplitude of beta activity at said first electrode placement location during a plurality of points in time after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms, averaging said beta activity measurements to determine a beta number;

determining a theta-to-beta ratio by dividing said theta number by said beta number;

simultaneously measuring a first maximum positive voltage potential at a second electrode placement location and at a third electrode placement location during a plurality of predetermined points in time after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms, averaging said first maximum positive voltage potential measurements to determine a P100MAX number; and

,

simultaneously measuring a second maximum positive voltage potential at a fourth electrode placement location and at a fifth electrode placement location during a plurality of predetermined points in time after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms, averaging said second maximum positive voltage potential measurements to determine a P200MAX number.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

identifying the person as having a low sensory attentional disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is greater than or equal to 4; and

identifying the person as having a some other, attentive type, disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of identifying the person as having a low sensory attentional disorder and at least one other affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is greater than or equal to 4 and said P100Max number (measured in microvolts) is greater than or equal to 10.0 microvolts.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of identifying the person as having a low sensory attentional disorder and at least one other affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is greater than or equal to 4 and said P200Max number (measured in microvolts) is greater than or equal to 6.0 microvolts.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of identifying the person as having only one affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4 and said P100Max number (measured in microvolts) is less than 10.0 microvolts.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of identifying the person as having only one affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4 and said P200Max number (measured in microvolts) is less than 6.0 microvolts.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of identifying the person as having at least one other affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4 and said P100Max number (measured in microvolts) is greater than or equal to 10.0 microvolts.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of identifying the person as having at least one other affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4 and said P200Max number (measured in microvolts) is greater than or equal to 6.0 microvolts.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein electrode placement is made in accordance with the American Electroencephalographic Society'"'"'s Electrode Placement International 10-20 Standard System, wherein said Standard System defines locations CZ, O1, O2, F3, and F4, and wherein said first electrode placement location is at CZ, wherein said second electrode placement location is at O1, wherein said third electrode placement location is at O2;

wherein said fourth electrode placement location is at F3; and

wherein said fifth electrode placement location is at F4.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said maximum amplitude of theta activity is measured immediately after the termination of each of the displays of said paradigms and wherein said maximum amplitude of beta activity is measured immediately after the termination of each of the displays of said paradigms.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the measurement of the first maximum positive voltage potential at the second and third electrode placement locations takes place approximately 100 milliseconds after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the measurement of the second first maximum positive voltage potential at the fourth and fifth electrode placement locations takes place approximately 200 milliseconds after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms.

13. A method of identifying the low sensory input system attentional disorders) of a person, said method for use with an EEG Data Acquisition and Analysis System which is electrically interconnected to a head assembly containing a plurality of EEG electrodes for sensing brain waves, wherein said method further utilizes a device operable to display a series of paradigms of a pre-selected design, illumination, and frequency, said paradigms evoking brain wave responses sensed by said EEG electrodes and sent to a microprocessor for synchronizing the recording and averaging, said method comprising the steps of:

attaching said electrodes to the scalp of said person at predetermined electrode placement locations for measuring said person'"'"'s brain waves;

positioning said per son to view said paradigms;

displaying to said person sequentially displayed paradigms;

measuring the maximum amplitude of theta activity at a first electrode placement location during a plurality of points in time after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms, averaging said theta activity measurements to determine a theta number;

measuring the maximum amplitude of beta activity at said first electrode placement location during a plurality of points in time after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms, averaging said beta activity measurements to determine a beta number;

determining a theta-to-beta ratio by dividing said theta number by said beta number;

wherein said maximum amplitude of theta activity is measured immediately after the termination of each of the displays of said paradigms; and

wherein said maximum amplitude of beta activity is measured immediately after the termination of each of the displays of said paradigms.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

identifying the person as having a low sensory attentional disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is greater than or equal to 4; and

identifying the person as having a some other, attentive type, disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4.

15. The method of claim 13 comprising the additional steps of:

simultaneously measuring a first maximum positive voltage potential at a second electrode placement location and at a third electrode placement location during a plurality of predetermined points in time after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms, averaging said first maximum positive voltage potential measurements to determine a P100MAX number;

simultaneously measuring a second maximum positive voltage potential at a fourth electrode placement location and at a fifth electrode placement location during a plurality of predetermined points in time after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms, averaging said second maximum positive voltage potential measurements to determine a P200MAX number;

wherein the measurement of the first maximum positive voltage potential at the second and third electrode placement locations takes place approximately 100 milliseconds after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms; and

wherein the measurement of the second first maximum positive voltage potential at the fourth and fifth electrode placement locations takes place approximately 200 milliseconds after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of identifying the person as having a low sensory attentional disorder and at least one other affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is greater than or equal to 4 and said P100Max number (measured in microvolts) is greater than or equal to 10.0 microvolts.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of identifying the person as having a low sensory attentional disorder and at least one other affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is greater than or equal to 4 and said P200Max number (measured in microvolts) is greater than or equal to 6.0 microvolts.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

identifying the person as having only one affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4 and said P100Max number (measured in microvolts) is less than 10.0 microvolts; and

identifying the person as having only one affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4 and said P200Max number (measured in microvolts) is less than 6.0 microvolts.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

identifying the person as having at least one other affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4 and said P100Max number (measured in microvolts) is greater than or equal to 10.0 microvolts; and

identifying the person as having at least one other affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4 and said P200Max number (measured in microvolts) is greater than or equal to 6.0 microvolts.

20. A method of identifying the low sensory input system attentional disorder(s) of a person, said method for use with an EEG Data Acquisition and Analysis System which is electrically interconnected to a head assembly containing a plurality of EEG electrodes for sensing brain waves, wherein said method further utilizes a device operable to display a series of paradigms of a pre-selected design, illumination, and frequency, said paradigms evoking brain wave responses sensed by said EEG electrodes and sent to a microprocessor for synchronizing the recording and averaging, said method comprising the steps of:

attaching said electrodes to the scalp of said person at predetermined electrode placement locations for measuring said person'"'"'s brain waves, wherein electrode placement is made in accordance with the American Electroencephalographic Society'"'"'s Electrode Placement International 10-20 Standard System, wherein said Standard System defines locations CZ, O1, O2, F3, and F4, and wherein said first electrode placement location is at CZ, wherein said second electrode placement location is at O1, wherein said third electrode placement location is at O2;

wherein said fourth electrode placement location is at F3; and

wherein said fifth electrode placement location is at F4;

positioning said person to view said paradigms;

displaying to said person sequentially displayed paradigms;

measuring the maximum amplitude of theta activity at a first electrode placement location during a plurality of points in time after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms, averaging said theta activity measurements to determine a theta number, wherein said maximum amplitude of theta activity is measured immediately after the termination of each of the displays of said paradigms;

measuring the maximum amplitude of beta activity at said first electrode placement location during a plurality of points in time after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms, averaging said beta activity measurements to determine a beta number, wherein said maximum amplitude of beta activity is measured immediately after the termination of each of the displays of said paradigms;

determining a theta-to-beta ratio by dividing said theta number by said beta number;

simultaneously measuring a first maximum positive voltage potential at a second electrode placement location and at a third electrode placement location during a plurality of predetermined points in time after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms, averaging said first maximum positive voltage potential measurements to determine a P100MAX number, wherein the measurement of the first maximum positive voltage potential at the second and third electrode placement locations takes place approximately 100 milliseconds after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms;

simultaneously measuring a second maximum positive voltage potential at a fourth electrode placement location and at a fifth electrode placement location during a plurality of predetermined points in time after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms, averaging said second maximum positive voltage potential measurements to determine a P200MAX number, wherein the measurement of the second first maximum positive voltage potential at the fourth and fifth electrode placement locations takes place approximately 200 milliseconds after termination of each of the displays of said paradigms;

identifying the person as having a low sensory attentional disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is greater than or equal to 4;

identifying the person as having a some other, attentive type, disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4;

identifying the person as having a low sensory attentional disorder and at least one other affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is greater than or equal to 4 and said P100Max number (measured in microvolts) is greater than or equal to 10.0 microvolts;

identifying the person as having a low sensory attentional disorder and at least one other affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is greater than or equal to 4 and said P200Max number (measured in microvolts) is greater than or equal to 6.0 microvolts;

identifying the person as having only one affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4 and said P100Max number (measured in microvolts) is less than 10.0 microvolts;

identifying the person as having only one affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4 and said P200Max number (measured in microvolts) is less than 6.0 microvolts;

identifying the person as having at least one other affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4 and said P100Max number (measured in microvolts) is greater than or equal to 10.0 microvolts; and

, identifying the person as having at least one other affective disorder if said theta-to-beta ratio is less than 4 and said P200Max number (measured in microvolts) is greater than or equal to 6.0 microvolts.