Patent No. 6206702 Methods and devices for treating unilateral neglect

 

Patent No. 6206702

Methods and devices for treating unilateral neglect (Hayden, et al., Mar 27, 2001)

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.

Notes:

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve these and other needs in the art, the inventors have succeeded at developing methods of, and devices for treatment of visual neglect manifested by a failure to respond or orient to stimuli presented contralateral to a brain lesion. The invention employs a computer software program that promotes awareness of the neglected side of an affected patient, visual scanning, and cognitive compensation, in addition to facilitating activation of the affected hemisphere of the brain. By addressing these areas, the resulting outcome is an overall improvement in functional performance.

There is thus provided, in accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a method for providing therapy for a person afflicted with unilateral neglect, the method comprising: (a) providing a computer-controlled display screen in front of the person, (b) displaying, on the display screen and under computer control, interactive stimuli to the person including stimuli on a side of the display screen that is subject to the person's neglect; (c) soliciting responses from the person including responses to the stimuli on the side subject to neglect; and (d) quantitatively evaluating the responses of the person to the solicited responses relating to the stimuli on the side subject to neglect to obtain a performance evaluation, the evaluation being indicative of a level of success of the person in overcoming visual neglect. The level of difficulty presented by the stimuli may be varied in accordance with the performance evaluation to exercise the person's responses to stimuli on the side subject to neglect. Sounds having directional properties may be added to enhance the effect of the therapy, and audio or visual distractions, or both, may be used to further exercise the person's responses.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for providing therapy for a person afflicted with unilateral neglect. The inventive device comprises (a) a display screen configured for placement in front of the person, (b) a computer including a stored program, the computer being coupled to the display screen to operatively display interactive stimuli including stimuli on a selected side of a vertical midline of the display screen; and (c) an input device operatively coupled to the computer and configured to receive responses from a person including responses evoked by the stimuli on the selected side of the display screen; the computer being configured so that the stored program controls the computer to present the stimuli and to quantitatively evaluate responses received from the input device, the evaluations being indicative of a level of success of a person in overcoming visual neglect. The device may also comprise a sound source that provides sounds that appear to emanate from different, selectable directions which may be coordinated with the stimuli on the screen. The stored program may be configured to adjust the presentation of stimuli and to provide distracting stimuli, in accordance with quantitative evaluations of a person's response, to provide the therapy for visual neglect.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium containing a stored program for operating a computer, including instructions for the 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 to indicate a level of success of a person in overcoming visual neglect. The stored program on the storage medium may also include instructions for adjusting a level of difficulty of the solicited responses in accordance with the evaluations, and instructions for controlling the computer to present distracting stimuli in accordance with the evaluations.

It is thus an object of the invention to provide a method and a device for treatment: of visual neglect.

It is another object of the invention that the method and device for treatment of visual neglect be entertaining, in that it is enjoyable for a patient to use.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a method and a device for evaluating a patient's progress in overcoming visual neglect, and to automatically adjust therapy treatments in accordance with this measurement.

The manner in which these and other objects of the invention are achieved will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the drawings and the detailed description of the invention disclosed herein.

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Computer-simulated sports games are among the types of games that are well-suited for therapy involving moving visual stimuli. Stimuli may move across the screen from a non-neglected half of the visual field into the neglected half or vice versa, depending upon the level of difficulty of the exercise, and may change in size as players or objects move across the screen, particularly to simulate a three-dimensional sports game. The rate at which the stimuli move or change size may also be used to advantage. In this preferred embodiment, the screen is effectively divided, from the viewpoint of the computer, via the midline 30 shown in FIGS. 2-4. As should be apparent, however, the imaginary vertical divider may be advantageously moved to the left or right, either further into or away from the side subject to neglect, as necessary or desirable for any specific application of the invention.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications of the above-described exemplary embodiments are possible within the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be determined by reference to the claims below and their full range of equivalence under applicable law.