Apparatus and method for evaluating cognitive function

Abstract

An apparatus for evaluating cognitive function of a patient. The apparatus has a physiological monitor adapted to output physiological measurements of a given bodily function of the patient, wherein the bodily function is regulated by the autonomic nervous system of the patient; a cognitive exercise evaluator adapted to obtain performance information of the patient when carrying out a cognitive exercise with a given difficulty; a general-purpose processor; and computer-readable memory adapted to store program code for evaluating the cognitive function of the patient, the program code comprising instructions to receive the physiological measurements and the performance information, and provide an evaluation of the cognitive function of the patient.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for evaluating cognitive function of a patient comprising:
 a physiological monitor adapted to output physiological measurements of a given bodily function of said patient, wherein said bodily function is regulated by the autonomic nervous system of said patient;   a cognitive exercise evaluator adapted to obtain performance information of said patient when carrying out a cognitive exercise with a given difficulty;   a general-purpose processor; and   computer-readable memory adapted to store program code for evaluating the cognitive function of said patient, said program code comprising instructions for execution by said processor to receive said physiological measurements and said performance information, and provide an evaluation of said cognitive function of said patient as a function of at least:   the performance level of said patient in carrying out said cognitive exercise, determined from said performance information and as a function of the parameters of said cognitive exercise;   said physiological measurements, wherein said physiological measurements provide an indication of a presence or an absence of cognitive exertion; and   the difficulty of said cognitive exercise.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said physiological monitor is a heart rate monitor or an electrocardiograph. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein said cognitive exercise evaluator comprises a vision tracker. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said vision tracker is comprised in a head mounted display. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  4 , further comprising a supervisor input interface adapted to allow a supervisor evaluating said cognitive function of said patient to control parameters of said cognitive exercise. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  5 , further comprising an input interface adapted to receive feedback input from said patient regarding said patient's experienced cognitive fatigue. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  6 , further comprising an additional physiological monitor for measuring an additional bodily function and outputting additional physiological measurements, wherein said additional bodily function is regulated by the autonomic nervous system of said patient. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  7 , further comprising a transceiver for establishing a connection with a remote computer, wherein said transceiver transmits data regarding said patient's cognitive function via said connection. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said connection is wired. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said connection is wireless. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  10 , further comprising a display. 
     
     
         12 . A method of assessing and/or measuring cognitive exertion of a patient comprising measuring a bodily function of said patient to produce physiological measurements during or after the performance of a cognitive task by said patient, wherein said bodily function is regulated by the autonomic nervous system of said patient, and assessing said physiological measurements for the presence or absence of cognitive exertion by comparing said physiological measurements with a reference value corresponding to said bodily function. 
     
     
         13 . The method as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said cognitive task is a cognitive exercise of a given difficulty adapted to measure the cognitive function of said patient, and wherein said method further comprises:
 measuring the performance level of said patient when performing said cognitive exercise;   correlating said measured performance level with said assessed physiological measurements; and   evaluating the cognitive function of said patient in accordance with said correlation between said measured performance level and said assessed physiological measurements, and as a function of said difficulty of said cognitive exercise.   
     
     
         14 . The method as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said evaluating the performance level of said patient in performing said cognitive exercise comprises tracking the eye movement of said patient when performing said cognitive exercise. 
     
     
         15 . The method as defined in any one of  claims 12  to  14 , further comprising modulating the difficulty of said cognitive exercise as a function of said assessed presence or absence of cognitive exertion. 
     
     
         16 . The method as defined in  claim 15 , further comprising re-evaluating the performance level of said patient when performing said cognitive exercise following said modulation of said difficulty of said cognitive exercise. 
     
     
         17 . The method as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said cognitive task is a task that said patient performs in the work environment of said patient. 
     
     
         18 . The method as defined in any one of  claims 12  to  17 , wherein said measuring of said bodily function comprises measuring the heart rate of said patient. 
     
     
         19 . The method as defined in  claim 18 , wherein said providing an evaluation of said cognitive function further comprises analyzing the heart rate variability of said patient. 
     
     
         20 . The method as defined in any one of  claims 12  to  19 , further comprising signaling said patient when said cognitive exertion of said patient is assessed to be present and to be above a given threshold. 
     
     
         21 . The method as defined in any one of  claims 12  to  20 , further comprising prompting said patient to provide feedback regarding said patient's cognitive fatigue during or after performing said cognitive task. 
     
     
         22 . The method as defined in any one of  claims 12  to  21 , further comprising providing a recommended time that said patient should perform said cognitive task as a function of said assessed presence or absence of cognitive exertion. 
     
     
         23 . A vision testing apparatus comprising:
 a head-mounted display for providing separate images to each eye;   an eye gaze detector for determining a direction of gaze of each eye;   an image display controller for displaying left eye and right eye images having predetermined properties; and   a test controller for analysing said direction of gaze of each eye as a function of said predetermined properties of said left eye and right eye images to determine a vision test result.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 23 , wherein said test controller is responsive to a difference in a direction of gaze between said eyes as a result in a change in said left eye and right eye images. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said test controller is responsive to both eyes having a gaze direction corresponding to a selection of one of a plurality of objects within said left eye and right eye images. 
     
     
         26 . An adaptive apparatus for evaluating cognitive function of a patient comprising:
 a stimulus output interface configured to output stimulus perceivable by said patient corresponding to a given cognitive exercise;   an input interface adapted to receive performance input of said patient resulting from actions of said patient when carrying out said given cognitive exercise;   a response evaluator adapted to collect observed responsiveness data on the responsiveness of a bodily activity of said patient when conducting said given cognitive exercise;   memory configured to store cognitive exercise information and expected responsiveness data; and   a controller configured to:
 generate a generic cognitive exercise as a function of said cognitive exercise information; 
 generate performance data, regarding the performance of said patient when carrying out said given cognitive exercise, from said performance input and said cognitive exercise information; 
 receive said observed responsiveness data from said response evaluator; 
 obtain said expected responsiveness data retrievable from said memory; 
 compare said observed responsiveness data to said expected responsiveness data, and output comparison data as a function of said comparison; 
 generate an adapted cognitive exercise as a function of at least said cognitive exercise information and said comparison data; and 
 generate a cognitive evaluation of said patient at least based on:
 said comparison data when said patient is performing said adapted cognitive exercise; and 
 said performance data when said patient is performing said adapted cognitive exercise; and 
 
   wherein said given cognitive exercise is, depending on the instance said patient is performing said given cognitive exercise, one of said generic cognitive exercise and said adapted cognitive exercise.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 26 , further comprising a transceiver to communicate with a remote computer of a remote medical practitioner, wherein said controller is further configured to generate said adapted cognitive exercise further in accordance with remote medical practitioner input information generated from a medical practitioner monitoring said patient remotely, received via said transceiver. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 26  or  claim 27 , wherein said stimulus generator comprises a head-mounted display. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said head-mounted display comprises a vision tracker, and said response evaluator comprises said vision tracker to generate said observed responsiveness data as a function of observed eye movement of said patient when conducting said given cognitive exercise. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus as defined in any one of  claims 26  to  29 , wherein said stimulus generator comprises a haptic display. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus as defined in any one of  claims 26  to  30 , wherein said stimulus generator comprises a speaker to generate an auditory stimulus. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus as defined in any one of  claims 26  to  31 , wherein said response evaluator comprises a physiological monitor adapted to output as said observed responsiveness data physiological measurements of a given bodily function of said patient, wherein said bodily function is regulated by the autonomic nervous system of said patient. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 32 , wherein said physiological monitor is a heart-rate monitor. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus as defined in any one of  claims 26  to  33 , wherein said response evaluator comprises a biomechanics evaluator adapted to output as said observed responsiveness data biomechanics data corresponding to muscle movement of said patient when performing said given cognitive exercise. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus as defined in any one of  claims 26  to  34 , wherein said response evaluator comprises a brain activity evaluator adapted to output as said observed responsiveness data brain activity data of said patient. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 36 , wherein said input interface is at least one of:
 a touchscreen;   a microphone;   a keyboard; and   a mouse.   
     
     
         37 . A method of assessing exertion of a patient that can deleteriously affect cognitive recovery of said patient having suffered cognitive function impairment, comprising:
 measuring a bodily function of said patient to produce physiological measurements during or after an activity performed by said patient, wherein said bodily function is regulated by the autonomic nervous system of said patient;   comparing said physiological measurements with a tolerance level for said bodily function that is set in order to delimit when exertion of said patient may impact recovery of said patient whose cognitive function is impaired; and   alerting said patient if said physiological measurements are outside of said tolerable range.   
     
     
         38 . The method as defined in  claim 37 , further comprising monitoring physiological measurements remotely, wherein said alerting may be triggered by an alert sent by a medical practitioner performing said remote monitoring. 
     
     
         39 . The method as defined in  claim 37  or  claim 38 , wherein said activity is a cognitive exercise. 
     
     
         40 . The method as defined in  claim 37  or  claim 38 , wherein said activity is a physical activity. 
     
     
         41 . The method as defined in any one of  claims 37  to  40 , wherein said bodily function is the heartbeat of said patient and said physiological measurements corresponds to the heart rate variability of said patient.