Patent No. 6234979 Computerized method and device for remediating exaggerated sensory response in an individual with an impaired sensory modality
Patent No. 6234979
Computerized method and device for remediating exaggerated sensory response in an individual with an impaired sensory modality (Merzenich, May 22, 2001)
Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for implementing a training regimen which alleviates exaggerated sensory, perceptual, cognitive and/or emotional response problems. For example, in the aural domain, some autistic individuals are hypersensitive to one of the senses, e.g., sound. As discussed above, sounds at the specific frequency can cause discomfort to these autistic individuals even when presented at an intensity level which normally is not perceived as being too loud by most individuals. Similarly, tinnitus afflicted individuals also suffer from disconcerting perceived ringing sensations in their ears. The present invention hypothesizes that a catastrophic cascade of responses within a "supergroup" of auditory neurons is triggered by a hypersensitive response to a particular frequency or range of frequencies. The self sustaining cascade is very much like an epileptic seizure in which the sudden involuntary response of a relatively small group of neurons trigger responses in a supergroup of neurons located in the motor control region of the brain. In accordance with the present invention, the abnormally sensitive response problem associated with supergroups can be substantially alleviated via a remedial training regimen which emphasizes the redevelopment of the afflicted individual's ability to make fine sensory distinctions and/or the improvement of the individual's differential sensory acuteness. Providing the regimen to the individual consistently over a period of time increases the likelihood of normal or near normal sensory ability returning.
Notes:
SUMMARY
OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for implementing a training
regimen which alleviates exaggerated sensory, perceptual, cognitive and/or emotional
response problems.
For example, in the aural domain, some autistic individuals are hypersensitive
to one of the senses, e.g., sound. As discussed above, sounds at the specific
frequency can cause discomfort to these autistic individuals even when presented
at an intensity level which normally is not perceived as being too loud by most
individuals. These individuals appear to integrate their perception of individual
frequencies within a spectrum of otherwise differentiable frequencies. Similarly,
tinnitus afflicted individuals also suffer from disconcerting perceived ringing
sensations in their ears.
The present invention hypothesizes that a catastrophic cascade of responses
within a "supergroup" of auditory neurons is triggered by a hypersensitive response
to a particular frequency or range of frequencies. The self sustaining cascade
is very much like an epileptic seizure in which the sudden involuntary response
of a relatively small group of neurons trigger responses in a supergroup of
neurons located in the motor control region of the brain.
Similarly, in the visual domain, some individuals, when engaged in video games
in a noisy and dimly lit video arcade environment with lots of loud sounds occurring
in association with "bright flashes", e.g., exploding targets, experience the
supergroup phenomenon. These loud flashes tend to drive the entire visual system
in synchrony (both fovial and peripheral vision) and activate large portions
of the retina as well as the auditory system. These large volleys of multimodal
synchronous neural activity can cause multiple supergroup responses in subjects
who are hypersensitive in the visual domain and probably in the auditory domain.
In such individuals, the multimodal supergroup response can cascade and cause
a supergroup response in the motor control neural domain, thereby triggering
an epileptic seizure.
The present invention also hypothesizes that while the above described supergroup
phenomenon can either be acquired through destructive learning and can be aggravated
by postnatal injury. The supergroup trait is often but not necessarily accompanied
by a genetic disposition, i.e., the afflicted individuals are born with the
trait or propensity for acquiring the supergroup trait. In some afflicted individuals,
prenatal injury or prenatal developmental problems are a likely root cause of
the supergroup trait, i.e., no destructive learning or postnatal injury has
occurred; a good example being the autistic individual.
In accordance with the present invention, the abnormally sensitive response
problem associated with supergroups can be substantially alleviated via a remedial
training regimen which emphasizes the redevelopment of the afflicted individual's
ability to make fine sensory distinctions andlor the improvement of the individual's
differential sensory acuteness. Providing the regimen to the individual consistently
over a period of time increases the likelihood of normal or near normal sensory
ability returning.
In one embodiment of the trainer for remediating exaggerated responses associated
a supergroup of neurons in an individual with an associated impaired modality,
the trainer includes a stimulator and an input device. The stimulator provides
a first stimulus to the individual which substantially corresponds to a first
boundary of the supergroup of neurons. The input device receives feedback from
the individual indicating the intensity of the individual's response to the
first stimulus. In accordance with the invention, a controller, operatively
coupled to the stimulator, adaptively modifies the first stimulus based on feedback
received from the individual, thereby gradually reducing the sensitivity of
the supergroup while avoiding an exaggerated response to the first stimulus.
In another embodiment, the stimulator provides a first and second stimulus which
substantially corresponds to a first and second boundary of the supergroup of
neurons. The input device receives feedback from the individual indicating the
intensity of the individual's response to the first and second stimulus. The
controller adaptively modifies the first or second stimulus based on feedback
received from the individual, thereby gradually reducing the sensitivity of
the supergroup while avoiding an exaggerated response to either the first or
second stimulus
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Many modifications are possible.
For example, the present invention can be practiced with or without feedback.
Feedback can be manual or automated. Manual feedback can provide an indication
that an input is causing discomfort or pain, or the individual is able to distinguish
the stimuli. Examples of automated feedback include brain imaging such as MEG
and fMRI to monitor changes and responses within the supergroup. Other potentially
useful automated feedback indicators include pulse, body temperature, respiratory
rate, and blood pressure.
While this invention has been described
in terms of several preferred embodiments, there are alterations, permutations,
and equivalents which fall within the scope of this invention. For example,
while the above-described training regimen addresses a singular uni-modal supergroup,
it is possible to remediate multiple supergroups, including cross-modal supergroup(s),
either concurrently or consecutively. It is therefore intended that the following
appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations,
and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.
Comments