Systems and methods for cognitive health assessment

Abstract

An improved system for assessing cognitive function is described that uses tracked electrical activity of the brain of the individuals in response to a specific sequence of stimuli in generating data sets, which, for example, can be encapsulated as a data structure. The data sets can include tracked specific response types, at different times and amplitudes, including, but not limited to, event related potential signal components. Brainwave features including, event related potentials, are tracked in relation to both pre-attentive brain responses and consciously controlled attention responses.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computing system for automatically generating a cognitive health assessment report utilizing data sets representative of potential cognitive activity of a patient, the computing system including at least one processor and computer readable memory, the at least one processor configured to:
 render on a user interface element on a display screen, or control an audio speaker to generate sounds corresponding to a set of instructions instructing the patient to actively recognize or respond to a set of repeated tones or visuals;   control a brainwave tracking device coupled to the patient's head to record waveform features;   present, on the user interface element or through the audio speaker, a stimulus pattern of tones or visuals having intermixed the repeated tones or visuals;   record one or more P3b responses triggered by the presentation of the intermixed repeated tones or visuals; and   encapsulate the one or more P3b responses into a data structure representing a working memory or cognitive workload data value that is utilized as part of the cognitive health assessment report; and   automatically generate and present, to an individual on a graphical user interface, the cognitive health assessment report generated based on the working memory or cognitive workload data value.   
     
     
         2 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is further configured to:
 render on the user interface element on the display screen, or control the audio speaker to generate sounds corresponding to a second set of instructions instructing the patient to actively ignore a first subset of repeated tones or visuals while recognizing or responding to a second subset of repeated tones or visuals;   present, on the user interface element or through the audio speaker, a second stimulus pattern of tones or visuals having intermixed the repeated tones or visuals;   record one or more N2b responses triggered by the presentation of the second stimulus pattern of the intermixed repeated tones or visuals, and to encapsulate the one or more N2b responses into a data structure representing an executive function data value that is utilized as part of the cognitive health assessment report.   
     
     
         3 . The computing system of  claim 2 , wherein a control value for determining the executive function data value is based on a demographic matched control value. 
     
     
         4 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more P3b responses representing working memory or cognitive workload are distinguished from other P3b responses based on latency, and the one or more P3b responses representing working memory or cognitive workload are encapsulated into the data structure representing the working memory or cognitive workload data value. 
     
     
         5 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more P3b responses representing working memory or cognitive workload are distinguished from other P3b responses based on a different voltage distribution measured across a scalp, and the one or more P3b responses representing working memory or cognitive workload are encapsulated into the data structure representing the working memory or cognitive workload data value. 
     
     
         6 . A computing system for automatically generating a cognitive health assessment report utilizing data sets representative of potential cognitive activity of a patient, the computing system including at least one processor and computer readable memory, the at least one processor configured to:
 render on a user interface element on a display screen, or control an audio speaker to generate sounds corresponding to a set of instructions instructing the patient to actively recognize or respond to a set of deviant tones or visuals;   control a brainwave tracking device coupled to the patient's head to record waveform features;   present, on the user interface element or through the audio speaker, a stimulus pattern of tones or visuals having intermixed the deviant tones or visuals;   record one or more P3b responses triggered by the presentation of the intermixed deviant tones or visuals; and   encapsulate the one or more P3b responses into a data structure representing a concentration data value that is utilized as part of the cognitive health assessment report; and   automatically generate and present, to an individual on a graphical user interface, the cognitive health assessment report generated based on the concentration data value.   
     
     
         7 . The computing system of  claim 6 , wherein the system is further configured to:
 render on the user interface element on the display screen, or control the audio speaker to generate sounds corresponding to a second set of instructions instructing the patient to actively ignore to a first subset of deviant tones or visuals while actively responding to a second subset of deviant tones or visuals;   present, on the user interface element or through the audio speaker, a second stimulus pattern of tones or visuals having intermixed the deviant tones or visuals;   record one or more N2b responses triggered by the presentation of the second stimulus pattern of the intermixed deviant tones or visuals, and to encapsulate the one or more N2b responses into a data structure representing an executive function data value that is utilized as part of the cognitive health assessment report.   
     
     
         8 . The computing system of  claim 7 , wherein a control value for determining the executive function data value is based on a demographic matched control value. 
     
     
         9 . The computing system of  claim 6 , wherein each deviant tone or visual of the set of deviant tones or visuals generates a different uniquely measureable P3b response of the one or more P3b responses, and differences in the P3b responses are encapsulated into the data structure representing the concentration data value that is utilized as part of the cognitive health assessment report. 
     
     
         10 . The computing system of  claim 9 , wherein the set of deviant tones or visuals includes both random tones or visuals and patient recognizable tones or visuals, and wherein the random tones or visuals and the patient recognizable tones or visuals generate different P3b responses of the one or more P3b responses. 
     
     
         11 . A computer implemented method for automatically generating a cognitive health assessment report utilizing data sets representative of potential cognitive activity of a patient, the method comprising:
 rendering on a user interface element on a display screen, or controlling an audio speaker to generate sounds corresponding to a set of instructions instructing the patient to actively recognize or respond to a set of repeated tones or visuals;   controlling a brainwave tracking device coupled to the patient's head to record waveform features;   presenting, on the user interface element or through the audio speaker, a stimulus pattern of tones or visuals having intermixed the repeated tones or visuals;   recording one or more P3b responses triggered by the presentation of the intermixed repeated tones or visuals; and   encapsulating the one or more P3b responses into a data structure representing a working memory or cognitive workload data value that is utilized as part of the cognitive health assessment report; and   automatically generate and present, to an individual on a graphical user interface, the cognitive health assessment report generated based on the working memory or cognitive workload data value.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , the method comprising:
 rendering on the user interface element on the display screen, or controlling the audio speaker to generate sounds corresponding to a second set of instructions instructing the patient to actively ignore a first subset of repeated tones or visuals while recognizing or responding to a second subset of repeated tones or visuals;   presenting, on the user interface element or through the audio speaker, a second stimulus pattern of tones or visuals having intermixed the repeated tones or visuals;   recording one or more N2b responses triggered by the presentation of the second stimulus pattern of the intermixed repeated tones or visuals, and encapsulating the one or more N2b responses into a data structure representing a executive function data value that is utilized as part of the cognitive health assessment report.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a control value for determining the executive function data value is based on a demographic matched control value. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more P3b responses representing working memory or cognitive workload are distinguished from other P3b responses based on latency, and the one or more P3b responses representing working memory or cognitive workload are encapsulated into the data structure representing the working memory or cognitive workload data value. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more P3b responses representing working memory or cognitive workload are distinguished from other P3b responses based on a different voltage distribution measured across a scalp, and the one or more P3b responses representing working memory or cognitive workload are encapsulated into the data structure representing the working memory or cognitive workload data value. 
     
     
         16 . A computer implemented method for automatically generating a cognitive health assessment report utilizing data sets representative of potential cognitive activity of a patient, the method comprising:
 rendering on a user interface element on a display screen, or controlling an audio speaker to generate sounds corresponding to a set of instructions instructing the patient to actively recognize or respond to a set of deviant tones or visuals;   controlling a brainwave tracking device coupled to the patient's head to record waveform features;   presenting, on the user interface element or through the audio speaker, a stimulus pattern of tones or visuals having intermixed the deviant tones or visuals;   recording one or more P3b responses triggered by the presentation of the intermixed deviant tones or visuals; and   encapsulating the one or more P3b responses into a data structure representing a concentration data value that is utilized as part of the cognitive health assessment report; and   automatically generating and presenting, to an individual on a graphical user interface, the cognitive health assessment report generated based on the concentration data value.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising:
 rendering on the user interface element on the display screen, or controlling the audio speaker to generate sounds corresponding to a second set of instructions instructing the patient to actively ignore to a first subset of deviant tones or visuals while actively responding to a second subset of deviant tones or visuals;   presenting, on the user interface element or through the audio speaker, a second stimulus pattern of tones or visuals having intermixed the deviant tones or visuals;   recording one or more N2b responses triggered by the presentation of the second stimulus pattern of the intermixed deviant tones or visuals, and encapsulating the one or more N2b responses into a data structure representing an executive function data value that is utilized as part of the cognitive health assessment report.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a control value for determining the executive function data value is based on a demographic matched control value. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each deviant tone or visual of the set of deviant tones or visuals generates a different uniquely measureable P3b response of the one or more P3b responses, and differences in the P3b responses are encapsulated into the data structure representing the concentration data value that is utilized as part of the cognitive health assessment report. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the set of deviant tones or visuals includes both random tones or visuals and patient recognizable tones or visuals, and wherein the random tones or visuals and the patient recognizable tones or visuals generate different P3b responses of the one or more P3b responses.