Non-invasive human neurocognitive performance capability testing method and system

• US 5,295,491 A
• Filed: 09/26/1991
• Issued: 03/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SAM Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SAM Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Gevins, Alan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US07/766,826
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 128/731, 128/732, 128/791
• US Class Current: 600/544
• 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 5/377 using evoked responses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7267 involving training the classification device
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A testing method and system for testing the mental performance capability of a human subject includes a digital computer workstation which presents a test to the subject, such as visumotor memory task. Simultaneously, a physiological sensing and amplification device amplifies and analyzes the subject'"'"'s brain waves, eye activity, scalp and facial muscle activity, heart activity, respiration and/or skin conductance. The subject'"'"'s test scores and physiological activity are compared, by the workstation, with previously collected normative measurements for that subject to determine if the test was passed with a passing score and, if so, whether the subject, in order to pass the test, exceeded a standard based upon the subject'"'"'s normal mental effort in taking the same or similar tests.

Claims

1. A method to determine the mental performance capacity of a human subject to perform a work assignment, including the steps of:

(a) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task, while the subject is sober, alert and healthy, to obtain a normative test score for the subject and recording said normative test score;

(b) simultaneously with (a) detecting and analyzing the brain waves of the subject with an EEG (electroencephalograph) device having a plurality of electrodes removably connected to the scalp of the subject to determine a normative neurocognitive capacity score for the subject which is the normal neurocognitive capacity utilized by the subject to obtain the normative test score, and recording the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and

subsequently

(c) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task to obtain a test score and comparing the test score with the normative test score;

(d) simultaneously with (c) detecting and analyzing the brain waves of the subject with an EEG (electroencephalograph) device having a plurality of electrodes removably connected to the scalp of the subject to determine the neurocognitive capacity the subject used to pass the test of (c), and comparing said neurocognitive capacity used by the subject with the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and

(e) rejecting the subject so that the subject does not perform the work assignment if the subject'"'"'s test score of (c) is a predetermined passing score below the normative test score or if the subject'"'"'s test score of (c) is above said passing score but the subject requires excessive neurocognitive capacity as determined in (d) to obtain the passing score.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the subject has a daily work assignment and the subject is tested according to steps (c), (d) and (e) each day prior to the subject'"'"'s work assignment.

3. A method as in claim 2 and the subject is tested at least twice each day of work according to steps (c), (d) and (e).

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the subject in steps (a) and (c) wears a hat having a plurality of electrodes to contact the scalp of the subject.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein the tests of (a) and (c) use a display which is displayed on the screen of a digital computer system and are selected from the group of visumotor memory tests, mathematical processing tests, logical reasoning tests, spatial processing tests, memory search tests, visumotor tracking tests, divided attention lists, short term memory tests, word scramble tests, N-back working memory tests, N-back divided attention tests, attentional flexibility tests, driving simulation tests and flight simulation tests.

6. A method as in claim 5 wherein the subject responds to the trials by operation of a computer input peripheral device selected from the group of a pressure key, a mouse, a keyboard and a joystick.

7. A method to determine the mental capacity of a human subject to perform a work assignment, including the steps of:

(a) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task, while the subject is sober, alert and healthy, to obtain a normative test score for the subject and recording said normative test score;

(b) simultaneously with (a) detecting and analyzing at least one physiological function of the subject with a physiological monitoring device to determine a normative neurocognitive capacity score for the subject which is the normal neurocognitive capacity utilized by the subject to obtain the normative test score, and recording the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and

subsequently

(c) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task to obtain a test score and comparing the test score with the normative test score;

(d) simultaneously with (c) detecting and analyzing said physiological function of the subject with a physiological monitoring device to determine the neurocognitive capacity the subject used to pass the test of (c), and comparing said neurocognitive capacity used by the subject with the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and

(e) rejecting the subject so that the subject does not perform the work assignment if the subject'"'"'s test score of (c) is a predetermined passing score below the normative test score or if the subject'"'"'s test score of (c) is above said passing score but the subject requires excessive neurocognitive capacity as determined in (d) to obtain the passing score.

8. A method as in claim 7 wherein the subject has a daily work assignment and the subject is tested according to steps (c), (d) and (e) each day prior to the subject'"'"'s work assignment.

9. A method as in claim 8 wherein the subject is tested at least twice each day of work according to steps (c), (d) and (e).

10. A method as in claim 7 wherein the subject in steps (a) and (c) wears a hat having a plurality of electrodes to contact the scalp of the subject.

11. A method as in claim 7 wherein the tests of (a) and (c) are visumotor memory task trials using a display which is displayed on the screen of a digital computer system.

12. A method as in claim 7 wherein the subject responds to the trials by operation of a computer input peripheral device selected from the group of a pressure key, a mouse, a keyboard and a joystick.

13. A method as in claim 7 wherein the physiological function is brain waves and the physiological monitoring device is an EEG (electroencephalograph) device.

14. A method as in claim 13 wherein an additional physiological function is detected and analyzed, said additional physiological function being selected from the group of eye activity, facial or scalp muscle potentials, heart activity, respiration and skin conductance.

15. A method as in claim 7 wherein the said physiological function is selected from the group of eye activity, facial or scalp muscle potentials, heart activity, respiration and skin conductance.

16. A method to track the mental capacity of a human subject over time as an indication of brain functioning, including the steps of:

(a) testing the subject in a test of performance of a task while the subject is sober and alert at a first date to obtain a normative test score for the subject and recording said normative test score;

(b) simultaneously with (a) detecting and analyzing at least one physiological function of the subject with a physiological monitoring device to determine a normative neurocognitive capacity score for the subject which is the normal neurocognitive capacity utilized by the subject to obtain the normative test score, and recording the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and

subsequently, at a later date;

(c) testing the subject, while the subject is sober and alert, in a test of performance of a task to obtain a test score and comparing the test score with the normative test score;

(d) simultaneously with (c) detecting and analyzing said physiological function of the subject with a physiological monitoring device to determine the neurocognitive capacity of the subject used to pass the test of (c), and comparing said neurocognitive capacity used by the subject with the normative neurocognitive capacity score; and

(e) determining, as an indication of the mental functioning of the subject, if the subject'"'"'s test score of (c) is a predetermined passing score below the normative test score or if the subject'"'"'s test score of (c) is above said passing score but the subject requires excessive neurocognitive capacity as determined in (d) to obtain the passing score.

17. A method as in claim 16 wherein the subject in steps (a) and (c) wears a hat having a plurality of electrodes to contact the scalp of the subject.

18. A method as in claim 16 wherein the tests of (a) and (c) are visumotor memory task trials using a display which is displayed on the screen of a digital computer system.

19. A method as in claim 16 wherein the physiological function is brain waves and the physiological monitoring device is an EEG (electroencephalograph) device.

20. A method as in claim 19 wherein an additional physiological function is detected and analyzed, said additional physiological function being selected from the group of eye activity, scalp or facial muscle potentials, heart activity, respiration and skin conductance.

21. A method as in claim 16 wherein the said physiological function is selected from the group of eye activity, scalp or facial muscle potentials, heart activity, respiration and skin conductance.

22. A system to determine the mental capacity of a human subject to perform a work assignment, including

(a) testing means for testing the subject in the test of performance of a trial to obtain a test score and digital computer means to compare the obtained test score with a recorded normative test score obtained from performance testing the subject while the subject was sober, alert and healthy;

(b) physiological monitoring means for detecting and analyzing at least one physiological function of the subject to determine the neurocognitive capacity the subject uses while taking the trial of (a);

wherein the physiological monitoring device includes a device selected from the group of an EKG heart monitor, and EMG muscle monitor, a skin conductivity monitor, and an electro-optical eye movement and blink sensor and an electrical eye movement and blink sensor; and

(c) comparison computer means to automatically compare the neurocognitive capacity used by the subject as determined by the EEG means with a recorded normative neurocognitive capacity score obtained by an EEG device connected to the subject while the subject was sober, alert and healthy;

whereby the comparisons of (a) and (c) are used to determine if the subject'"'"'s test score of (a) is below a passing grade based on the normative test score or if the subject'"'"'s test score of (a) is above said passing grade and whether the subject required excessive neurocognitive capacity as determined by the computer comparison means of (b) to obtain the passing grade.