Methods for Independent Entrainment of Visual Field Zones

Abstract

An entrainment method for stimulation of a visual field in a subject includes presenting a visual stimulation field to a subject, the visual stimulation field disposed at a distance of at least about 6 inches from the subject; and flashing at least one zone of the visual stimulation field for a selected duration and at a selected flash frequency.

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         21 . A method for inducing entrainment in a subject by stimulation of a zone of a visual field in said subject, comprising:
 presenting at least one visual stimulation field as a focused image on the retinas of a subject for a selected duration and at a selected flash frequency; and   inducing entrainment in said subject by flashing said visual stimulation field for said selected duration and at said selected flash frequency.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing a dot on said visual stimulation field, and fixing said subject's visual attention on said dot. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising moving said point on said visual stimulation field while maintaining the at least one zones of said visual stimulation field in a static relative position, whereby said visual stimulation field produces constant stimulation to zones of the retina of said subject. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said flashing at least one visual stimulation field comprises flashing at least one stimulation field zone selected from the group consisting of a central field zone and a peripheral field zone, an upper hemi-field zone and a lower hemi-field zone, a left hemi-field zone and a right hemi-field zone, at least one quadrant zones and at least one quadrant subdivision zones. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said flashing at least one visual field zone of said visual stimulation field includes flashing at least one zone of said visual stimulation field having a visual content selected from the group consisting of black, white, solid color, repeated pattern and picture with fine detail. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing a plurality of visual stimulation field zones, each having an independent flash frequency, and wherein said flashing comprises selecting a flash frequency for a selected duration for each visual stimulation field zone. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said flashing of said plurality of visual stimulation field zones comprises flashing at excitatory and inhibitory frequencies to different zones of said visual stimulation field substantially simultaneously. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising flashing a first zone of said visual stimulation field at a flash frequency of at most about 12 Hz to produce inhibition in associated parts of the cerebral cortex of said subject. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising compring flashing a second zone of said visual stimulation field at a flash frequency of greater than about 12 Hz to produce excitation in associated parts of the cerebral cortex of said subject. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising measuring a physiologic variable of said subject and using said physiologic variable to modify said visual stimulation field via neurofeedback. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein measuring a physiologic variable of a subject comprises measuring a physiologic variable selected from the group consisting of EEG, pulse rate, breathing rate and galvanic skin response of said subject. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein using said physiologic variable to modify said visual stimulation field via neurofeedback comprises using said physiologic variable to modify at least one parameter including but not limited to changes in frequency, color and intensity of at least one of said at least one zones of said visual stimulation field. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said flashing at least one zone of said visual stimulation field for a selected duration and at each selected flash frequency comprises flashing at least one zone of said visual stimulation field for a selected duration and at each selected flash frequency to treat a brain malfunction in said subject. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said flashing at least one zone of said visual stimulation field for a selected duration and at each selected flash frequency to treat a brain malfunction in said subject comprises flashing at least one zone of said visual stimulation field for a selected duration and at each selected flash frequency to treat a brain malfunction selected from the group consisting of: post traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit disorder and accumulation of beta amyloid in said subject. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing a non-visual stimulus. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising applying at least one non-visual stimulus selected from the group consisting of auditory stimulus tactile stimuli, kinesthetic stimuli, somatic electrical stimuli, transcranial electrical stimuli and transcranial magnetic stimuli to said subject. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising synchonizing said non-visual stimulus with flashing of said visual stimulation field. 
     
     
         38 . A method for inducing entrainment in a subject by stimulation of a visual field in said subject, comprising:
 presenting a visual stimulation field as a focused image on the retinas of said subject for a selected duration at a selected flash frequency; and   inducing entrainment in said subject by flashing said visual stimulation field for said selected duration and at said selected flash frequency.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising presenting a non-entraining visual image to the visual stimulation field simultaneously with said flashing at least one zones of the visual stimulation field for a selected duration and at each selected flash frequency. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said presenting a nonentraining visual image to the visual stimulation field comprises presenting an image selected from the group consisting of text, geometric patterns, photographs, paintings and video motion pictures. 
     
     
         41 . A system for inducing entrainment in a subject by stimulation of a zone of a visual field in said subject, comprising: an optical apparatus configured to present at least one visual stimulation field as a focused image on the retinas of said subject for a selected duration and at a selected flash frequency. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said visual stimulation field includes a dot on which said subject's attention is fixed. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said optical apparatus is further configured to move said point on said visual stimulation field while maintaining the at least one zones of said visual stimulation field in a static relative position, whereby said visual stimulation field produces constant stimulation to zones of the retina of said subject. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said optical apparatus is further configured to flash at least one visual stimulation field including at least one stimulation field zone selected from the group consisting of a central field zone and a peripheral field zone, an upper hemi-field zone and a lower hemi-field zone, a left hemi-field zone and a right hemi-field zone, at least one quadrant zones and at least one quadrant subdivision zones. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said optical apparatus is further configured to flash at least one visual field zone of said visual stimulation field including at least one zone of said visual stimulation field having a visual content selected from the group consisting of black, white, solid color, repeated pattern and picture with fine detail. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said optical apparatus is further configured to provide a plurality of visual stimulation field zones, each having an independent flash frequency, and wherein said flashing comprises selecting a flash frequency for a selected duration for each visual stimulation field zone. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein said optical apparatus is further configured to flash said plurality of visual stimulation field zones at excitatory and inhibitory frequencies to different zones of said visual stimulation field substantially simultaneously. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein said optical apparatus is further configured to flash a first zone of said visual stimulation field at a flash frequency of at most about 12 Hz to produce inhibition in associated parts of the cerebral cortex of said subject. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein said optical apparatus is further configured to flash a second zone at a frequency of greater than about 12 Hz to produce excitation in associated parts of the cerebral cortex of said subject. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 41 , further comprising means for measuring a physiologic variable of said subject and using said physiologic variable to modify said visual stimulation field via neurofeedback. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein said physiologic variable is selected from the group consisting of EEG, pulse rate, breathing rate and galvanic skin response of said subject. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein said optical apparatus is configured to modify said visual stimulation field via neurofeedback using said physiologic variable to modify at least one parameter including but not limited to changes in frequency, color and intensity of at least one of said at least one zones of said visual stimulation field. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said optical apparatus further includes means for providing non-visual stimulus to said subject. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 53 , further comprising means for applying at least one non-visual stimulus selected from the group consisting of auditory stimulus tactile stimuli, kinesthetic stimuli, somatic electrical stimuli, transcranial electrical stimuli and transcranial magnetic stimuli to said subject. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 54 , further comprising means for synchonizing said non-visual stimulus with flashing of said visual stimulation field. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein said optical apparatus is further configured to present a non-entraining visual image to the visual stimulation field simultaneously with said flashing at least one zones of the visual stimulation field for a selected duration and at each selected flash frequency. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein said presenting a nonentraining visual image to the visual stimulation field comprises presenting an image selected from the group consisting of text, geometric patterns, photographs, paintings and video motion pictures.