Cognitive function evaluation and rehabilitation methods and systems

• US 9,078,598 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2013
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: French Family Trust
• Original Assignee: Barry J. French, Neall M. French
• Inventors: French, Barry J., French, Neall M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US13/866,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20140142439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 600/587, 600/595
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0082 adapted for particular medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• 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 5/1124 Determining motor skills
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/162 Testing reaction times
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4064 Evaluating the brain A61B5/031, A61B5/369, A61B5/14553 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4088 Diagnosing of monitoring cognitive diseases, e.g. Alzheimer, prion diseases or dementia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/744 Displaying an avatar, e.g. an animated cartoon character

Abstract

A cognitive function evaluation method and system involves prompting a test subject (person) to engage in movement, such as whole-body movement, for example sports-specific movement, while tracking movement of the person. Data can be gathered from the tracking of the person'"'"'s movement. This data can be compared with baseline data from an earlier test (or with data gathered from other subjects), to make a determination of cognitive function of the test subject, or to evaluate progress in rehabilitation and/or aid in making a determination whether a person is ready to resume specified activities, such as an athlete returning to a sport. Such a determination can be made under realistic activity-specific conditions (for example using increased metabolic rate and/or activity-specific movements that may test/challenge the test subjects cognition, vestibular, and/or visual performance/abilities), to allow a for determination of the person'"'"'s cognitive function.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating cognitive function of a person, the method comprising:

prompting the person to engage in full-body multi-dimensional motion, with motions in a variety of directions, wherein the prompting includes prompting to cause an increase of metabolic rate of the person;

tracking movement of the person in multiple dimensions while the person is engaging in the full-body motion, while gathering data regarding the movement of the person;

measuring heart rate during the prompting and the tracking; and

evaluating data obtained in the tracking movement and the measuring the heart rate, for heart rate responses to the elevated metabolic rate and/or for appearance of symptoms associated with cognitive impairment, to determine whether the person has a cognitive impairment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluating data includes comparing the data obtained in the tracking movement with previously-collected data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the previously-collected data includes data from a baseline evaluation.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the previously-collected data includes data from tracking movement of other persons.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing data includes determining whether the person is suffering from concussion symptoms.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing data includes determining whether the person is suffering from neurological disease symptoms.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the comparing includes distinguishing between changes in the data due to cognitive function changes, and changes in the data due to other causes that are not cognitive function changes.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the comparing includes distinguishing between changes in the data due to cognitive function changes, and changes in the data due to orthopedic function changes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompting includes prompting the person to move in a sports-related way.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompting includes prompting the person to rotate the body of the person.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompting to cause the increase in the metabolic rate includes prompting to cause an increase of heart rate of the person to a level commensurate with a heart rate measured in a baseline test involving prompting the person to engage in full-body motion.

17. The method of claim 1,

further comprising:

before the prompting and the tracking, performing a first static balance test on the person, to quantify the magnitude of oscillations of the person, prior to the increase of the heart rate; and

after the prompting and the tracking, performing a second static balance test on the person, to quantify the magnitude of oscillations of the person, while the heart rate is still increased;

wherein the evaluating also includes using results of the balance tests as indicators of possible impairment of cognitive function.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein the prompting includes prompting the person to move in a sports-related way;

and

wherein the prompting includes prompting to cause the increase of heart rate of the person to a level commensurate with a sports-related activity simulated by the prompting.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein the distinguishing includes comparing movement deficits in different movement vectors, with cognitive function impairment indicated by generalized symmetric movement deficit in the different movement vectors, and with orthopedic impairment indicated by asymmetric movement deficit in the different movement vectors.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the prompting to rotate the body includes prompting to rotate the body about 180 degrees of rotation.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompting to cause an increase in heart rate includes prompting to cause an increase of heart rate of at least 150 beats per minute.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluating includes determining a work capacity of the person to sustain exercise, from speed of the full-body motion obtained during the tracking, and from the heart rate of the person measured during the measuring.

11. A method for cognitive function rehabilitation, the method comprising:

prompting the person to engage in full-body motion, wherein the prompting includes prompting to cause an increase of heart rate of the person;

tracking movement of the person while the person is engaging in the full-body motion, while gathering data regarding the movement of the person; and

evaluating movement data obtained in the tracking movement;

wherein the prompting includes controlling one or more of rate of movement, distance of movement, and direction of movement, in response to cues; and

wherein the evaluating data includes determining a work capacity of the person to sustain exercise, from speed of the full-body motion obtained during the tracking.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the prompting is controlled based at least in part upon the evaluating of the data.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the prompting is controlled based at least in part upon cognitive health of the person.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the prompting includes prompting the person to move in a sports-related way.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the tracking includes reaction time, and/or movement speed/acceleration, and heart rate is also measured during the tracking.

23. A method of evaluating cognitive function of a person, the method comprising:

performing a first test, the first test including;

prompting the person to engage in full-body multi-dimensional motion, with motions in a variety of directions, wherein the prompting includes prompting to cause an increase of metabolic rate of the person;

tracking movement of the person in multiple dimensions while the person is engaging in the full-body motion, while gathering data regarding the movement of the person;

measuring heart rate during the prompting and the tracking; and

evaluating data obtained in the tracking movement and the measuring the heart rate, to determine the person'"'"'s baseline work capacity to sustain exercise;

subsequent to the at least the prompting, the tracking movement, and the measuring heart rate of the first test, performing a second test that also includes the prompting, the tracking movement, and the measuring heart rate, as well as determining an updated work capacity to sustain exercise from the tracking movement of the second test and the measuring the heart rate of the second test; and

comparing the updated work capacity to sustain exercise with the baseline work capacity to sustain exercise.