Virtual reality tools and techniques for measuring cognitive ability and cognitive impairment

Abstract

Techniques and tools for measuring cognitive ability and/or detecting cognitive impairment or decline. For example, techniques and tools are described that can be used to diagnose or test susceptibility to cognitive impairments in children or in elderly people (such as cognitive impairments associated with Alzheimer's Disease). Techniques and tools are described that can be used to evaluate treatment effects and/or measure cognitive decline over time.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving input from a user as the user interacts with software presenting a virtual reality environment that includes a first-person, three-dimensional graphical rendering of the virtual reality environment;   measuring performance of the user in the virtual reality environment based at least in part upon the received input; and   using the measured performance of the user in the virtual reality environment in analysis of cognitive status;   wherein the measured performance includes one or more of distance traversed in the virtual reality environment, time elapsed before reaching a target in the virtual reality environment, percentage of successful trials, time spent in a target area of the virtual reality environment, and velocity of movement in the virtual reality environment.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual reality environment is organized in a coordinate space, and wherein the measuring comprises tracking position of the user over time in the coordinate space. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a file includes results of the tracking as time-stamped coordinate locations. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual reality environment includes multiple areas, and wherein the measured performance further includes pattern of movement between the multiple areas. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual reality environment includes multiple areas, and wherein the measured performance further includes pattern of time spent in respective areas of the multiple areas. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the distance traversed is total distance or cumulative distance. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 presenting the user with one or more visual or audible cues as to location of the target in the virtual reality environment, wherein the performance of the user is measured in conjunction with presentation of the cues, and wherein the performance of the user is subsequently measured without presentation of the cues to the user.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 measuring neural activity of the user with a magnetic resonance imaging tool as the user interacts with the software presenting the virtual reality environment, wherein the analysis of cognitive status is based at least in part on the measured neural activity.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 measuring neural activity of the user with a functional magnetic resonance imaging tool as the user interacts with the software presenting the virtual reality environment, wherein the analysis of cognitive status is based at least in part on the measured neural activity.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a personal computer system presents the virtual reality environment. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a server computer system provides the virtual reality environment to the personal computer system over a network connection. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual reality environment is graphically rendered to the user using virtual reality goggles. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the input includes direction input and speed input received from a joystick. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis of cognitive status is used to detect presence or extent of age-related cognitive decline. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the age-related cognitive decline is a decline in memory performance or learning performance. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis of cognitive status is used to detect presence or extent of pediatric cognitive disability. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the pediatric cognitive disability is a memory performance problem or learning performance problem. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis of cognitive status is used to detect presence or extent of progression of Alzheimer's disease. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis of cognitive status is used to detect presence of a characteristic of pre-clinical Alzheimer's disease. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis of cognitive status is used to measure responsiveness of the user to treatment of Alzheimer's disease. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a treatment regimen for the user based at least in part on the assessed cognitive status.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 comparing the analysis of cognitive status to one or more prior analyses of cognitive status to assess change in cognitive status of the user.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis comprises adjusting for effects of sex and/or age on the measured performance. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis comprises adjusting for effects of learning of navigation skills in the virtual reality environment on the measured performance. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis comprises adjusting for effects of learning of landscape of the virtual reality environment on the measured performance. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein analysis of cognitive status comprises analysis of a response of the user to a therapeutic intervention to treat cognitive decline. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the therapeutic intervention comprises a drug therapy. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the analysis of a response of the user further comprises determining a therapeutic dose of the drug therapy. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the therapeutic intervention is a proposed intervention that is being studied for efficacy. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the therapeutic intervention is an APOE ε3 or APOE ε2 mimetic, a cholinesterase inhibitor, an N-methyl-aspartate receptor antagonist, a hormone therapy, or a vitamin. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the analysis is performed by a software tool that includes pattern recognition or other artificial intelligence aspects. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the analysis and the measuring performance are performed by an integrated software tool. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 1  wherein diminished cognitive status is indicated by one or more of increased distance traversed in the virtual reality environment, increased time elapsed before reaching a target in the virtual reality environment, decreased percentage of successful trials, decreased time spent in a target area of the virtual reality environment, and decreased velocity of movement in the virtual reality environment. 
   
   
       34 . A method comprising:
 receiving input from a user as the user interacts with software presenting a virtual reality environment that includes a first-person, three-dimensional graphical rendering of the virtual reality environment;   in a first round, measuring performance of the user in navigating in the virtual reality environment to a target indicated by at least a first visual cue in the virtual reality environment based at least in part upon the received input;   in a second round that lacks the at least first visual cue, measuring performance of the user in navigating to the target in the virtual reality environment based at least in part upon the received input;   using the measured performance of the user in the virtual reality environment for the first and second rounds in analysis of cognitive status.   
   
   
       35 . A method comprising of correlating genotype with cognitive status, the method comprising:
 receiving input from a user known to have a first genotype as the user interacts with software presenting a virtual reality environment that includes a first-person, three-dimensional graphical rendering of the virtual reality environment;   measuring performance of the user in navigating to a target in the virtual reality environment based at least in part upon the received input;   using the measured performance in analysis of cognitive status for the user known to have the first genotype, wherein the analysis comprises a comparison of the measured performance of the user in the virtual reality environment relative to measured performances for a user group for the first genotype.   
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the first genotype is an APOE genotype.