Automated correlation of neuropsychiatric test data

Abstract

A data processing method comprises, under program control of test instructions programmed in a mobile computing device, generating and causing displaying on a display device of the mobile computing device, a prompt associated with a first cognitive relating to a cognitive test of a feature of a human cognitive domain, the prompt comprising a prompt image of spatially positioned display objects; in conjunction with causing displaying the prompt, reading and storing a first time stamp value indicative of a first time when the prompt is first displayed on the display device of the mobile computing device, the system clock continuously generating signals representing a current time that may be queried programmatically by the application; displaying the prompt for a specified time period using the system clock; in response to displaying the prompt for the specified time period, capturing response input at the mobile computing device, the response input representing movements to recreate the prompt image of the spatially positioned display objects, the movements comprising shapes, icons, characters, and lines, or a combination thereof, that are detected by the display device; detecting a first response input via the display device of the mobile computing device, the first response input representing a first response to the prompt; in conjunction with detecting the first response input, reading and storing a second time stamp value indicative of a second time when the first response input is first detected; repeating the steps of detecting and reading and storing the first and second time stamp values for a plurality of subsequent prompts relating to the same test or the same cognitive task to yield an association of a plurality of different response values with a plurality of respective different time stamp values, the plurality of different response values representing a plurality of respective different response input; and by test analysis instructions of a server computer, based upon the plurality of different response values and the plurality of respective different time stamp values, determining a cognitive domain score value representing the feature, or information relating to the feature, of the human cognitive domain.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A data processing method comprising:
 under program control of test instructions of a cognitive test programmed in an application installed on a mobile computing device, generating and causing displaying on a display device of the mobile computing device, a prompt associated with a first cognitive task relating to the cognitive test of a feature of a human cognitive domain, wherein the prompt comprises a prompt image of any of: spatially positioned display objects; objects having a particular color from among two different colors; a succession of words using colored type font not matching meanings of the words; successive images of different human faces; images of virtual decks of cards; a graphical maze; a sequence of visual stimuli; a matrix of points or dots; a plurality of color blocks each containing an emotionally loaded word; a plurality of successive digits; a letter of an alphabet alone or in conjunction with a text prompt;   in conjunction with causing displaying the prompt, by the test instructions, reading and storing a first time stamp value indicative of a first time when the prompt is first displayed on the display device of the mobile computing device, wherein a system clock continuously generates signals representing a current time that may be queried programmatically by the application;   using the test instructions, displaying the prompt for a specified time period using the system clock;   in response to displaying the prompt for the specified time period, capturing response input at the mobile computing device, wherein the response input represents one or more interactions with the display device that are detected by the display device;   by the test instructions, detecting a first response input via the display device of the mobile computing device, the first response input representing a first response to the prompt;   in conjunction with detecting the first response input, by the test instructions, reading and storing a second time stamp value indicative of a second time when the first response input is detected;   by the test instructions, repeating the steps of detecting, reading and storing the first and second time stamp values for a plurality of subsequent prompts relating to the same test or the same cognitive task to yield an association of a plurality of different response values with a plurality of respective different time stamp values, the plurality of different response values represented by a plurality of respective different response input; and   by test analysis instructions of a server computer, based upon the plurality of different response values and the plurality of respective different time stamp values, determining a cognitive domain score value representing the feature, or information relating to the feature, of the human cognitive domain.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in conjunction with detecting the first response input, by the test instructions, storing, in association with the second time stamp value, a tag indicating the detecting of the first response. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the first response value and respective first and second time stamp values and the plurality of different response values and respective different time stamp values over a data communications network to the server computer, wherein the server computer is programmed with the test analysis instructions. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a plurality of test records comprising the association of a plurality of different response values with the plurality of respective different time stamp values. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising loading the mobile computing device with test instructions of the cognitive test upon startup of the application installed on the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the cognitive domain score value by determining a first result score value for the first cognitive task, applying a first weight value to the first result score value to yield a first weighted result score value, and combining one or more other different weighted result score values associated with the subsequent prompts of the cognitive tasks relating to the same test, or the same cognitive task, with the first weighted result score value. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising, with the server computer, causing generating and displaying one or more different graphs of a set of features of the human cognitive domain, including a brain profile type, in which the different weighted result score values are indicated as positions within a normal distribution of score values for those features. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the test instructions are programmed:
 to execute a verbal learning task having an instant verbal learning test and a delayed verbal learning test, and one or more stroop tests;   to combine the first weighted result score value of the instant verbal learning test with a second weighted result score value of the delayed verbal learning test to yield the cognitive domain score value for a verbal memory domain; and   to combine the first weighted result score value of the instant verbal learning test with a second weighted result score value of the delayed verbal learning test and with a third weighted result score value of the one or more stroop tests to yield a second cognitive domain score value for a verbal processing speed domain.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the test instructions are programmed:
 to execute a digit span task, a maze task, a figure copy task, and a trail test;   to combine the first weighted result score value of the digit span task with a second weighted result score value of the maze task to yield the cognitive domain score value for a working memory domain;   to combine the second weighted result score value of the maze task with a third weighted result score value of the figure copy task to yield a second cognitive domain score value for a spatial memory domain; and   to combine the second weighted result score value of the maze task with the third weighted result score value of the figure copy task and a fourth weighted result score value of the trail test to yield a third cognitive domain score value for a spatial processing speed domain.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the test instructions are programmed to execute a verbal learning task, a color word task, a complex figure task, an emotional recognition task, a gambling task, a maze task, an N-back task or a trail task. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first time stamp value and the second time stamp value include a millisecond value. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the test instructions are programmed to execute a test battery consisting of a verbal learning task, a color word task, a complex figure task, an emotional recognition task, a gambling task, a maze task, an N-back task, and a trail task, in any order, and to store a plurality of response values and time stamp values for each response and the time of each response for a plurality of different responses to different prompts as part of all tasks in the test battery, and wherein each of the time stamp values include a millisecond value. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the test instructions are programmed to obtain touch input via a touch screen display of the mobile computing device comprising the response to the prompt. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further including causing displaying a graphical grid that is configured to capture the response input at the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         15 . A data processing method comprising:
 downloading, from a server computer to a mobile computing device, a test application for a cognitive test comprising a plurality of sequences of test instructions, which when executed using the mobile computing device cause the mobile computing device to perform:   generating and causing displaying on a display device of the mobile computing device, under program control of test instructions, a prompt associated with a first cognitive task that tests a feature of a human cognitive domain, wherein the prompt comprises a prompt image of any of: spatially positioned display objects; objects having a particular color from among two different colors; a succession of words using colored type font not matching meanings of the words; successive images of different human faces; images of virtual decks of cards; a graphical maze; a sequence of visual stimuli; a matrix of points or dots; a plurality of color blocks each containing an emotionally loaded word; a plurality of successive digits; a letter of an alphabet alone or in conjunction with a text prompt;
 in conjunction with causing displaying the prompt, reading and storing a first time stamp value indicative of a first time when the prompt is displayed; 
 by the test instructions, detecting a first response input via the mobile computing device, the first response input representing a first response to the prompt; 
 in conjunction with receiving the input, by the test instructions, reading and storing a second time stamp value indicative of a second time when the first response input is detected; 
 by the test instructions, repeating the steps of detecting, reading and storing the first and second time stamp values for subsequent response input to a plurality of subsequent prompts relating to the same test, the same cognitive task or trial to yield an association of a plurality of different response values with a plurality of respective different time stamp values, the plurality of different response values represented by a plurality of respective different response input; and 
   at a server computer, based upon the plurality of different response values and the plurality of respective different time stamp values, determining a cognitive domain score value representing a feature, or information relating to the feature, of the human cognitive domain.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising transmitting the first response value and the first and second time stamp values, and the plurality of different response values and the plurality of respective different time stamp values over a data communications network to the server computer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising determining a first result score value for the first cognitive task, applying a first weight value to the first result score value to yield a first weighted result score value, and combining one or more other different weighted result score values associated with the subsequent prompts of the cognitive tasks relating to the same test, or the same cognitive task, with the first weighted result score value. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the test instructions are programmed when executed by the mobile computing device:
 to execute a verbal learning task having an instant verbal learning test and a delayed verbal learning test, and one or more stroop tests;   to combine the first weighted result score value of the instant verbal learning test with a second weighted result score value of the delayed verbal learning test to yield the cognitive domain score value for a verbal memory domain; and   to combine the first weighted result score value of the instant verbal learning test with a second weighted result score value of the delayed verbal learning test and with a third weighted result score value of the one or more stroop tests to yield a second cognitive domain score value for a verbal processing speed domain.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the test instructions are programmed when executed by the mobile computing device:
 to execute a digit span task, a maze task, a figure copy task, and a trail test;   to combine the first weighted result score value of the digit span task with a second weighted result score value of the maze task to yield the cognitive domain score value for a working memory domain;   to combine the second weighted result score value of the maze task with a third weighted result score value of the figure copy task to yield a second cognitive domain score value for a spatial memory domain;   to combine the second weighted result score value of the maze task with the third weighted result score value of the figure copy task and a fourth weighted result score value of the trail test to yield a third cognitive domain score value for a spatial processing speed domain.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising, with the server computer, causing generating and displaying one or more different graphs of a set of features of the human cognitive domain in which the different weighted result score values are indicated as positions within a normal distribution of score values for those features. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first time stamp value and the second time stamp value include a millisecond value. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the test instructions are programmed to cause the mobile computing device to execute a test battery consisting of a verbal learning task, a color word task, a complex figure task, an emotional recognition task, a gambling task, a maze task, an N-back task, and a trail task, in any order, and to store a plurality of response values and time stamp values for each response and the time of each response for a plurality of different responses to different prompts as part of all tasks in the test battery, and wherein each of the time stamp values include a millisecond value. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , further including, with the server computer, causing generating a web page displaying one or more different graphs of a set of features, including the feature, of the human cognitive domain and transmitting the web page to a client computer.