Non-invasive systems and methods for detecting mental impairment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11272870-B2
Application number	US-201916523861-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2019
Priority date	Jul 30, 2018
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A mental impairment detection system and non-invasive method of detecting mental impairment of a user are provided. A test (e.g., an inhibitory reflex test or a sustained attention test) is administered to the user, brain activity in a frontal lobe of the user is non-invasively detected while the test is administered to the user, and a level of mental impairment of the user is determined based on the brain activity detected in the frontal lobe of the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mental impairment detection system, comprising:
a sensory stimulation device configured for administering an inhibitory reflex test to a user;
a non-invasive brain interface assembly configured for detecting brain activity in a frontal lobe of the user while the inhibitory reflex test is administered to the user; and
at least one processor configured for determining a level of temporary mental impairment of the user by quantifying results of the inhibitory reflex test administered to the user based on the brain activity detected in the frontal lobe of the user and comparing the quantified results of the inhibitory reflex test administered to the user to baseline quantified results of the inhibitory reflex test administered to the user when the user is known to not be mentally impaired.

2. The mental impairment detection system of claim 1 , wherein the non-invasive brain interface assembly is configured for detecting the brain activity in a premotor cortex of the frontal lobe of the user.

3. The mental impairment detection system of claim 1 , wherein the non-invasive brain interface assembly is configured for detecting the brain activity in a dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the frontal lobe of the user.

4. The mental impairment detection system of claim 1 , wherein the sensory stimulation device comprises a display device configured for displaying the inhibitory reflex test to the user.

5. The mental impairment detection system of claim 4 , wherein the inhibitory reflex test comprises an anti-saccade task.

6. The mental impairment detection system of claim 5 , wherein displaying the inhibitory reflex test comprises displaying a motionless target in a center of a field of vision of the user, and subsequently displaying a first visual stimulus in a periphery of the field of vision of the user.

7. The mental impairment detection system of claim 6 , further comprising a communication device configured for instructing the user to fixate on the motionless target, and to make a saccade in a direction away from the first visual stimulus when the first visual stimulus is displayed in the periphery of the field of vision of the user.

8. The mental impairment detection system of claim 7 , wherein the inhibitory reflex test further comprises a pro-saccade task.

9. The mental impairment detection system of claim 8 , wherein displaying the inhibitory reflex test further comprises randomly or pseudo-randomly displaying the first visual stimulus or a second visual stimulus different from the first visual stimulus one at a time in the periphery of the field of the vision of the user, wherein the communication device is further configured for instructing the user to make a saccade in a direction towards the second visual stimulus when the second visual stimulus is displayed in the periphery of the field of vision of the user.

10. The mental impairment detection system of claim 7 , wherein the communications device comprises at least one speaker.

11. The mental impairment detection system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is configured for determining the level of impairment of the user by determining either a reaction time or an error of the user in response to the anti-saccade task.

12. The mental impairment detection system of claim 5 , wherein the inhibitory reflex test comprises go/no-go tasks.

13. The mental impairment detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a camera configured for tracking head movements of the user, wherein the at least one processor is configured for determining the level of impairment of the user further based on the tracked head movements of the user.

14. The mental impairment detection system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor stimulation device is further configured for administering a reflex test to the user, wherein the non-invasive brain interface assembly is further configured for detecting brain activity in a non-frontal lobe of the user while the reflex test is administered to the user, and the at least one processor is configured for determining the level of impairment of the user further based on the brain activity detected in the non-frontal lobe of the user.

15. The mental impairment detection system of claim 1 , wherein the non-invasive brain interface assembly is one of an optical measurement assembly and a magnetic measurement assembly.

16. The mental impairment detection system of claim 1 , wherein the non-invasive brain interface assembly comprises at least one sensor configured for detecting energy from a brain of the user, and processing circuitry configured for identifying the brain activity in response to detecting the energy from the brain of the user.

17. The mental impairment detection system of claim 16 , wherein the non-invasive brain interface assembly comprises a head-worn unit carrying the at least one sensor.

18. The mental impairment detection system of claim 1 , wherein the non-invasive brain interface assembly comprises a computer containing the at least one processor.

19. A non-invasive method of detecting mental impairment of a user, comprising:
administering an inhibitory reflex test to the user;
non-invasively detecting brain activity in a frontal lobe of the user while the inhibitory reflex test is administered to the user; and
determining a level of mental impairment of the user by quantifying results of the inhibitory reflex test administered to the user based on the brain activity detected in the frontal lobe of the user based on the brain activity detected in the frontal lobe of the user and comparing the quantified results of the inhibitory reflex test administered to the user to baseline quantified results of the inhibitory reflex test administered to the user when the user is known to not be mentally impaired.

20. The non-invasive method of claim 19 , wherein the brain activity is detected in a premotor cortex of the frontal lobe of the user.

21. The non-invasive method of claim 19 , wherein the brain activity is detected in a dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the frontal lobe of the user.

22. The non-invasive method of claim 19 , wherein administering the inhibitory reflex test to the user comprises displaying the inhibitory reflex test to the user.

23. The non-invasive method of claim 19 , wherein the inhibitory reflex test comprises an anti-saccade task.

24. The non-invasive method of claim 23 , wherein displaying the inhibitory reflex test comprises displaying a motionless target in a center of a field of vision of the user, and subsequently displaying a first visual stimulus in a periphery of the field of vision of the user.

25. The non-invasive method of claim 24 , further comprising instructing the user to fixate on the motionless target, and to make a saccade in a direction away from the first visual stimulus when the first visual stimulus is displayed in the periphery of the field of vision of the user.

26. The non-invasive method of claim 25 , wherein the inhibitory reflex test further comprises a pro-saccade task.

27. The non-invasive method of claim 26 , wherein displaying the inhibitory reflex test further comprises randomly or pseudo-randomly displaying the first visual stimulus or a second visual stimulus different from the first visual stimulus one at a time, the method further comprising instructing the user to make a saccade in a direction towards the second visual stimu

Assignees

• Hi Llc

Inventors

• Katnani Husam
• Sobek Daniel
• Lara Antonio H

Classifications

• G09B7/00 Primary

  Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers (mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F) · CPC title

• A61B5/6803

  Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles · CPC title

• A61B5/246

  using evoked responses · CPC title

• A61B5/168

  Evaluating attention deficit, hyperactivity · CPC title

• A61B5/7275

  Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor · CPC title