System And Method For Diagnosis Of Brainstem Disorders

Abstract

A system and method for detection of a brainstem disorder, such as schizophrenia, by means of brainstem audiometry is disclosed. A subject's ( 4 ) responses on the physical properties of sound; frequency, time and amplitude are being detected. Sound stimuli are being presented, via a communication element ( 2 ) through a hearing organ ( 3 ) to the subject. Elements ( 7 ) are attached to the subject ( 7 ) for measurement of the subject's electrophysiological brain activity. Simultaneously as the mentioned sound stimuli ( 1 ) are presented to the subject ( 4 ) a trig signal is sent out from the organ for generation of stimuli ( 1 ), via a trig box ( 5 ), further to an organ for registration ( 6 ) of the electro-physiological brain activity in the subject ( 4 ), whereafter mentioned electrophysiological brain activity is stored and imaged, in computer equipment ( 8 ) for determination of a brainstem disorder in the subject.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of detecting brainstem disorders in a subject comprising:
 generating a sound stimuli;   communicating said sound stimuli to the subject;   recording an electrophysiological brain activity response from said subject substantially simultaneously to the communication of said sound stimuli to said subject;   comparing said electrophysiological brain activity response to standardized responses from a reference population; and,   determining whether the subject has a brainstem disorder based upon said comparison.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising imaging said electrophysiological brain activity response. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the recording of the electrophysiological brain activity response comprises measuring an auditory brainstem response. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein said measuring of an auditory brainstem response comprises measuring brainstem activity within a time span of approximately 0 to 10 ms after the generating of said sound stimuli. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the generating a sound stimuli comprises generating a sequence of sound stimuli tests. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said sequence of sound stimuli tests comprises:
 a forward masking test;   a backward masking test;   a binaural forward masking test;   a directional hearing test;   a perception of distance in sounds test;   a pulse train 1 test;   a pulse train 2 test;   a pulse train 3 test; and   a pulse train 4 test.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein each sound stimuli test comprises the repetition of said sound stimuli approximately 500-1500 times and where a time between each repetition is approximately 150 to 500 ms. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said sound stimuli having defined physical properties in frequency, time and amplitude. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising triggering said recording of the electrophysiological brain activity simultaneously as said sound stimuli is communicated to the subject. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising imaging said electrophysiological brain activity response when said triggering is made. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising conducting a test battery for detecting said brainstem disorder, wherein said test battery comprises nine tests, wherein each test consists of presentation of said sound stimuli to the subject and registration of the electrophysiological responses to mentioned sound stimuli, wherein said sound stimuli are presented in repeated sequences. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising reproducing and storing said electrophysiological activity on a computer equipment. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising detecting said brainstem disorders by means of auditory brain stem audiometry, wherein the subject's response to the physical properties of sound, namely frequency, time and amplitude is detected by conducting a test comprising at least three subtests 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said brainstem disorder is schizophrenia.