Image-based dementia diagnostic system and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to an image-based dementia diagnostic system that enables dementia to be diagnosed quickly and easily without the use of specialized personnel, enables early diagnosis of dementia and selection of patients with mild symptoms quickly and accurately, and enables even elderly subjects who cannot correctly recognize characters to be easily screened when images are presented to them. This dementia diagnostic system includes a character input device that allows the subject to input characters, a data storage device in which data for diagnostic tests is stored, a display that displays various images and data on a screen, a selection operation device that the subject can operate to select an item, and a controller that is connected to various devices including the character input device and controls them, and tests memory based on images to determine dementia.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a dementia diagnosis system and method. More specifically, without using professional personnel, it enables quick and easy diagnosis of dementia, allows for quick and accurate early diagnosis of dementia and screening of mild patients, and enables easy examination of elderly subjects who cannot correctly recognize characters through image presentation. The present invention relates to an image-based dementia diagnosis system and method.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, dementia refers to a series of symptoms caused by brain diseases. As dementia progresses, it affects thinking ability, behavior, and performance of daily life. The characteristic of such dementia is a state of lacking daily activity ability due to the decline of cognitive ability.

[0003] Usually, a doctor diagnoses dementia when two or more cognitive functions are significantly damaged. Such cognitive functions include memory, language function, information understanding, spatial function, judgment, and attention. Dementia patients have difficulty in problem-solving and emotion control and may experience personality changes.

[0004] The exact symptoms experienced by dementia patients depend on which part of the brain damaged by the disease causing dementia. Dementia is a situation where some of the brain's nerve cells stop functioning, the connection with other cells is severed, and they die. Such dementia usually progresses gradually. That is, dementia gradually spreads in the brain, and the patient's symptoms worsen over time.

[0005] Dementia is a typical age-related neurodegenerative brain disease, showing a morbidity rate of about 5 - 10% in the elderly over 65 years old worldwide. Most dementia patients present symptoms of progressive cognitive impairment, hallucinations, delusions, and loss of living ability.

[0006] In Alzheimer's disease, the most representative form of dementia, clumps of amyloid-beta protein, a type of waste product, are observed in nerve fiber bundles and around brain cells within the cerebral cortex. It is believed that this waste product causes necrosis of nerve cells.

[0007] Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, accounting for about 70% of all dementia cases, and it is estimated that approximately 600,000 new cases of Alzheimer's disease occur annually in South Korea.

[0008] Alzheimer's disease is a representative degenerative dementia that causes a decline in cognitive function and daily living due to the degeneration of cerebral nerve cells, ultimately leading to death. It causes great suffering not only to the patient but also to the family members who care for them.

[0009] The diagnosis of dementia involves confirming impairments in daily life and social activities due to cognitive impairment through a detailed medical history and evaluation of symptoms, and confirming dementia by using brain imaging to check for cerebrovascular disease, brain atrophy, etc.

[0010] In the early stages of dementia, it is difficult to distinguish it from senile forgetfulness. Therefore, a neuropsychological test is performed to comprehensively evaluate not only memory but also language ability, calculation ability, spatiotemporal perception ability, and judgment ability to diagnose dementia. To diagnose such dementia, further detailed examinations must be conducted based on various information obtained from interviews with the patient / guardian and screening tests. These further detailed examinations include neuropsychological tests (SNSB), blood tests, and various types of brain imaging tests (CT, MRI, PET).

[0011] As an example of further detailed examination, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) can play an important role in classifying types of dementia. This test can determine whether a patient is closer to Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia, and can also be partially useful in distinguishing dementia caused by other diseases.

[0012] However, the conventional technologies described above had the following problems.

[0013] Dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease, is an irreversible disease for which no cure has been developed. Therefore, the best approach is to diagnose dementia early and slow its progression. However, diagnosing dementia through detailed medical history taking and evaluation by specialists presents problems: a shortage of specialists prevents the rapid diagnosis of many patients, and it also increases the cost of identifying dementia patients from the entire population at a national level.

[0014] Furthermore, conventional brain imaging diagnostics used for diagnosing dementia, despite requiring expensive and sophisticated equipment, can only detect brain disease or brain atrophy in advanced stages, making them unsuitable for early diagnosis.

[0015] Furthermore, dementia patients are typically elderly, often illiterate, or have low levels of education that prevent them from correctly recognizing letters. This makes examinations, such as those using questionnaires, difficult and time-consuming, requiring significant manpower.

[0016] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop appropriate and groundbreaking technologies that can easily, quickly, and early in diagnosing dementia. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0017] Therefore, the present invention was devised to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems,

[0018] The object of the present invention is to provide an image-based dementia diagnostic system and method that enables rapid and easy diagnosis of dementia without the need for specialized personnel, allows for rapid and accurate early diagnosis of dementia and selection of patients with mild symptoms, and enables easy screening of elderly subjects who cannot correctly recognize characters by presenting images. [Means for solving the problem]

[0019] To achieve the above objectives, the "image-based dementia diagnosis system" according to the present invention includes a character input device that allows the subject to be tested to input characters, a data storage device that stores image data consisting of different images drawn to represent a single noun word as an image, materials for memory interference, and dementia information for each subject to be tested, a display that displays the diagnostic data and test data on the screen so that the subject to be tested can see it, a selection device that allows the subject to be tested to operate and select selection items for the image data and materials displayed on the screen by the display, and a controller connected to the character input device, the data storage device, the display, and the selection device to control them, the controller including an information input unit that allows the subject to be tested to input their own personal information using the character input device, and an information input unit that extracts 5 to 15 images from the image data, and the extracted The system is characterized by including: an image presentation unit that sequentially outputs images to the screen of the display and presents them to the subject of the test; a memory interference unit that outputs materials for memory interference to the screen of the display and interferes with the subject's memory; a test question item generation unit that, after the output of the materials for memory interference is completed, randomly mixes multiple images in which the presented images are considered correct and other images other than the presented images are considered incorrect to generate test question items; a memory test execution unit that sequentially outputs the generated test question items to the screen of the display and performs a memory test in which the subject selects an image output as a test question item as correct if it is the same as the presented image, and selects an image that is not the same as the presented image as incorrect; and a dementia determination unit that, after the memory test is completed, determines whether or not the subject has dementia and / or the state of dementia according to the degree of incorrect answer rate of the test question items confirmed by the memory test.

[0020] Furthermore, the "image-based dementia diagnosis method" according to the present invention includes an information input step of inputting the personal information of the person being examined into a personal information input field displayed on the screen; an image preparation step of preparing multiple different images drawn to represent a single noun word as an image; an image presentation step of extracting 5 to 15 of the prepared images and sequentially displaying the extracted images on the screen to present them to the person being examined in order to memorize them; a memory interference step of outputting materials on the screen to concentrate the attention of the person being examined after the presentation of the images is complete, thereby interfering with the person being examined's memory; and after the output of the materials for memory interference is complete, the presented images The method is characterized by including: a test question item generation step of generating test question items by randomly mixing multiple images in which the image presented is considered correct and other images other than the presented image are considered incorrect; a memory test execution step of sequentially outputting the generated test question items and performing a memory test in which the image output as a test question item is selected as correct if it is the same as the presented image, and selected as incorrect if it is not the same as the presented image; and a dementia determination step of determining whether or not the person has dementia and / or the state of dementia after the memory test is completed, according to the degree of incorrect answer rate of the test question items confirmed by the memory test. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] As described above, the present invention allows for rapid and easy diagnosis of dementia without the need for specialized personnel, enables rapid and accurate early diagnosis of dementia and selection of patients with mild symptoms, and allows for easy screening of elderly subjects who cannot correctly recognize characters through the presentation of images. As a result, it has the effect of enabling the rapid and relatively inexpensive selection of hundreds of thousands of dementia patients from the entire population at a national level. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0022] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the dementia diagnostic system according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing the controller for the dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 3] It is an exemplary diagram showing an information input unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 4] It is an exemplary diagram showing an information input unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 5] It is an exemplary diagram showing an information input unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 6] It is an exemplary diagram showing an image presentation unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 7] It is an exemplary diagram showing an image presentation unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 8] It is an exemplary diagram showing an image presentation unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 9] It is an exemplary diagram showing various images used in a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 10] It is an exemplary diagram showing a memory interference unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 11] It is an exemplary diagram showing a memory interference unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 12] It is an exemplary diagram showing a memory interference unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 13] It is an exemplary diagram showing a memory interference unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 14] It is an exemplary diagram showing a memory interference unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 15] It is an exemplary diagram showing a memory interference unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 16] It is an exemplary diagram showing a memory test execution unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 17] It is an exemplary diagram showing a memory test execution unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 18] It is an exemplary diagram showing a memory test execution unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 19] It is an exemplary diagram showing various examples of a result display unit of a dementia diagnosis system according to the present invention. [Figure 20]This is a flowchart illustrating the dementia diagnosis method according to the present invention. [Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0023] The present invention relates to an image-based dementia diagnostic system that enables rapid and easy diagnosis of dementia without the need for specialized personnel, allows for rapid and accurate early diagnosis of dementia and selection of patients with mild symptoms, and allows for easy examination of elderly subjects who cannot correctly recognize characters by presenting images. The dementia diagnostic system includes a character input device 10 on which the subject can input characters, a data storage device 20 on which data for diagnostic testing is stored, a display 30 on which various images and data are displayed on the screen, a selection device 40 on which the subject can operate to select items, and a controller 50 connected to the character input device 10 and other devices to control them and to test memory ability based on images to determine dementia. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the present invention can be realized in a number of different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described.

[0025] Figures 1 to 19 show a dementia diagnostic system according to the present invention. As shown in the figures, the image-based dementia diagnostic system according to the present invention includes a character input device 10 on which the person being tested can input characters, a data storage device 20 on which data for the diagnostic test is stored, a display 30 on which various images and data are displayed on the screen, a selection device 40 on which the person being tested can operate to select items, and a controller 50 connected to the character input device 10 and other devices to control them and to test memory ability based on images and determine dementia.

[0026] The aforementioned character input device 10 is a device that allows characters to be entered like a keyboard, and is designed to allow the person being tested to input characters by operating it.

[0027] The data storage device 20 is a storage device capable of storing digital data, such as memory or a hard disk, and is capable of storing image data consisting of different images drawn to represent a single noun word as an image, storing materials for memory interference, and storing dementia information for each person being tested.

[0028] Here, the aforementioned images are created for memory testing, digitized, and stored. An example of the created images is shown in Figure 9, and each image represents a single noun word, such as umbrella, bus, teacher, radio, hat, or turtle, as a picture. In other words, the images are formed so that the test subject can visually associate them with a single noun word.

[0029] The display 30 is a device that displays data and images on a screen, such as a monitor or liquid crystal display, and plays the role of displaying the diagnostic data and examination data on the screen so that the person being examined can see them.

[0030] The selection device 40 is a device that allows a user to select an item or execute a command by operating it with their finger, such as a button or touchscreen, and enables the person being inspected to operate and select an item for the image data and materials displayed on the screen by the display 30.

[0031] The controller 50 is a device such as a microprocessor, which is connected to and controls the character input device 10, the data storage device 20, the display 30, and the selection operation device 40, and plays a role in identifying dementia by presenting images, interfering with memory, and performing memory tests related to the presented images.

[0032] Such a controller 50 includes an information input unit 51, an image presentation unit 52, a memory interference unit 53, a test question item generation unit 54, a memory test execution unit 55, and a dementia discrimination unit 56.

[0033] The information input unit 51 allows the subject to be tested to input their own personal information using the character input device 10. The personal information of the subject to be tested, as entered in this way, serves to distinguish the subject from one another.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the aforementioned personal information includes the name, date of birth, gender, educational background, and contact information of the person being tested, and these items are entered by the person being tested.

[0035] Here, the date of birth indicates the date of birth of the person being tested; gender indicates whether the person is male or female; educational background indicates the level of education the person is receiving; and contact information is a telephone number where the person being tested can be reached.

[0036] It is preferable to allow users to select their educational background by academic year, from no education to graduate school, in order to understand and categorize their educational background information in detail. As shown in Figure 4, such educational backgrounds can be selected by scrolling through items designated by academic year.

[0037] The image presentation unit 52 extracts 5 to 15 images from the image data and sequentially outputs the extracted images to the screen of the display 30 to present them to the person being examined, thereby enabling the person being examined to properly memorize the images (see Figure 8). As shown in Figure 8, when the image presentation unit 52 presents images on the screen, the current status, such as the total number of images to be presented and the number of images currently being presented, is displayed on the screen, allowing the person being examined to visually confirm the current status.

[0038] The images presented by the image presentation unit 52 are preferably displayed on the screen for 1 to 3 seconds each. This is because if the display time for each image is less than 1 second, the test subject may not be able to properly memorize them, and if the display time for each image is longer than 3 seconds, they may become too easy to remember, leading to a significant decrease in the rate of incorrect answers and potentially diminishing discriminatory ability.

[0039] Such an image display unit 52 further includes an inspection start notification unit 521 that outputs an inspection start notification message to the screen before displaying the images to notify the start of the inspection, and a storage request notification unit 522 that outputs a storage request notification message to the screen after the notification of the start of the inspection is completed, notifying the number of images to be displayed and requesting that the displayed images be stored.

[0040] The aforementioned test start notification unit 521, as shown as an example in Figure 6, outputs a test start notification message, "The picture memory test will now begin," to the screen so that the test subject can recognize it.

[0041] Such a notification of the start of the examination can be output not only as text but also as audio by an audio output device such as a speaker connected to the controller 50, so that even those who do not know how to read or have difficulty reading can easily recognize the notification. Such a notification of the start of the examination can be output selectively as both screen output and audio output, or simultaneously as both screen output and audio output.

[0042] The memory request notification unit 522, as shown as an example in Figure 7, outputs a memory request notification message on the screen such as "Please look carefully at these 10 pictures and memorize them. (Test time: 40 seconds)," thereby enabling the test subject to recognize that they must memorize the images that will be presented in the future. Such a memory request notification message can be output by connecting a speaker to the controller 50 and selectively using screen output and audio output, or by simultaneously using screen output and audio output.

[0043] After notifying the user of the start of the aforementioned inspection and the request for memory storage, the extracted images are sequentially displayed on the screen as shown in Figure 8.

[0044] The memory interference unit 53 outputs the material for memory interference to the screen of the display 30, and plays a role in concentrating the attention of the person being examined and interfering with the person's memory of the image.

[0045] Such a memory disruption unit 53 includes a concentration test notification unit 531 that outputs a concentration test notification message to the screen to notify the subject of the concentration test to begin after the presentation of the extracted images is completed; a test method notification unit 532 that outputs a test method notification message to the screen to notify the subject of the concentration test method and the time required for the test after the notification of the concentration test is completed; and a concentration test execution unit 533 that executes the concentration test after the notification of the test method is completed.

[0046] As shown as an example in Figure 10, the concentration test notification unit 531 displays a concentration test notification message on the screen, such as "This time we will check your concentration," and guides the test subject to believe that a different test is about to be conducted, thereby enabling the memory interference process to begin without the test subject being aware that a memory interference process related to the image is about to be performed.

[0047] Such a concentration test notification can be output by connecting a speaker to the controller 50 and selectively performing screen output and audio output, or by performing screen output and audio output simultaneously.

[0048] As shown as an example in Figures 11 and 14, the aforementioned test method notification unit 532 outputs a test method notification message on the screen, such as "Press Select when a black circle appears, and do not press Select when a circle of any other color appears. (Test time: 40 seconds)," thereby enabling the test subject to properly recognize the method of performing the concentration test (actually a memory interference process).

[0049] Such inspection method notification messages can be output by connecting a speaker to the controller 50 and selectively performing screen output and audio output, or by performing screen output and audio output simultaneously.

[0050] The concentration test execution unit 533, as shown as an example in Figure 15, performs a concentration test to cause memory interference with the image for the test subject.

[0051] Here, the concentration test is preferably a color classification test in which various colors are presented sequentially and the test subject is asked to select a specific color as the correct answer, as shown as an example in Figure 15. This is because it enhances the concentration of the test subject's attention and facilitates the implementation of tests designed to interfere with memory.

[0052] As shown in Figure 15, the aforementioned concentration test consists of 10 to 30 questions, with black being the correct answer and red and blue being the incorrect answers. This is to ensure that the test subject's attention is appropriately stimulated and they can concentrate on the test by designating black as the correct answer and red and blue, which have higher visual discrimination capabilities than black, as incorrect answers. Here, it is preferable that the black, red, and blue colors are represented by circles of the same size, in order to enhance the test subject's concentration.

[0053] While the general population can appropriately recall the aforementioned images even with such memory impairment, dementia patients are unable to appropriately recall the images due to the memory impairment, thus enabling more accurate and easier identification and discrimination of dementia patients.

[0054] Here, the concentration test for memory interference preferably consists of 10 to 30 questions. This is because if the number of questions in the concentration test is less than 10, memory interference will not be performed properly, and if the number of questions is more than 30, memory interference will be excessively performed, which may lead to errors in the diagnosis of dementia.

[0055] As shown in Figure 15, when the concentration test execution unit 533 outputs problems on the screen, the current status, such as the total number of problems to be output and the number of problems currently being output, can be displayed on the screen, allowing the test subject to visually confirm the current status.

[0056] The memory interference unit 53 further includes a concentration test practice unit 534 that performs the concentration test 4 to 8 times in advance to practice the concentration test immediately before performing the concentration test. As illustrated as an example in Figures 11 to 13, the concentration test practice unit 534 enhances the concentration of the test subject and increases the memory interference time, thereby ensuring that memory interference is performed more reliably and effectively on the test subject.

[0057] The test question item generation unit 54, after the output of the materials for memory interference is completed, plays the role of generating test question items by randomly mixing multiple images, with the presented image being the correct answer and other images other than the presented image being the incorrect answer.

[0058] Preferably, the number of test questions generated is 1.5 to 2.5 times the number of images presented by the image presentation unit 52. For example, if 10 images are presented, 20 (twice as many) test questions may be generated, resulting in 10 correct questions and 10 incorrect questions.

[0059] This is because if the number of test questions is less than 1.5 times the number of images presented, the discriminative ability may be low, making it difficult to identify dementia. Conversely, if the number of test questions is more than 2.5 times the number of images presented, there may be too many test questions, potentially leading to an unnecessarily high rate of incorrect answers.

[0060] The aforementioned test questions are preferably in a true / false format, where the test subject selects "○" for a correct answer and "×" for an incorrect answer. This is to allow the test subject to easily select whether the answer is correct or incorrect.

[0061] The memory test execution unit 55 sequentially outputs the generated test question items to the screen of the display 30, and performs a memory test in which the selection operator 40 selects the image output as a test question item as the correct answer if it is the same as the presented image, and selects it as the incorrect answer if it is not the same as the presented image (see Figure 18).

[0062] In other words, when the memory test execution unit 55 displays the same image that was presented by the image presentation unit 52, the test subject selects "○" and displays it as the correct answer. However, if the test subject cannot correctly recall the image presented by the image presentation unit 52, they will select an incorrect answer. If this is repeated and the rate of incorrect answers increases, the test subject will be identified as a dementia patient.

[0063] As shown in Figure 18, when the memory test execution unit 55 outputs test question items on the screen, the current status, such as the total number of test question items to be output and the number currently output, can be displayed on the screen so that the test subject can visually confirm the current status.

[0064] Such a memory test execution unit 55 further includes a problem item number notification unit 551 that outputs a problem item number notification message on the screen before outputting the test problem items, which notifies the number of test problem items to be output, and a solution method notification unit 552 that outputs a solution method notification message on the screen after the notification of the number of problem items is complete, which notifies the problem solving method and the time required for the test.

[0065] The aforementioned problem item number notification unit 551, as shown as an example in Figure 16, outputs a problem item number notification message on the screen, such as "I will now show you 20 pictures," thereby enabling the test subject to appropriately recognize the number of test items being presented.

[0066] Such notification messages regarding the number of problem items can be output by connecting a speaker to the controller 50 and selectively performing screen output and audio output, or by performing screen output and audio output simultaneously.

[0067] The aforementioned resolution method notification unit 552, as shown as an example in Figure 17, outputs a resolution method notification message on the screen as text, such as "Press '○' if you have seen this picture before, and press '×' if it is a new picture. (Test time: 40 seconds)," thereby enabling the test subject to appropriately recognize the resolution method and test time for each test item.

[0068] Such a resolution method notification can be output by connecting a speaker to the controller 50 and selectively performing screen output and audio output, or by performing screen output and audio output simultaneously.

[0069] The time required for the test, as indicated by the resolution method notification unit 552, is preferably 30 to 50 seconds. This is to allow the test subject to be notified in advance of the time required for the memory test so that they can prepare appropriately for the test.

[0070] The dementia discrimination unit 56, after the memory test is completed, plays a role in determining whether or not the person has dementia and / or the state of dementia, according to the degree of incorrect answer rate for the test questions confirmed by the memory test. Here, the incorrect answer rate refers to the proportion of incorrect answers selected for all test questions.

[0071] The controller 50 further includes a result display unit 57, a discrimination criterion adjustment unit 58, and a target person confirmation unit 59.

[0072] The results display unit 57 displays the diagnosis and test results of the person being tested on the screen of the display 30 after the dementia discrimination unit 56 has completed the discrimination of dementia. As shown in Figure 19, by displaying the final test results on the screen, it helps the person being tested to appropriately recognize their current condition and guides them to undergo more precise dementia testing.

[0073] For example, the system can evaluate 20 test questions, appropriately distinguish between correct and incorrect answers, and then provide test results such as "Very worrying!" if the number of correct answers is 10 or less, "Worrying!" if the number of correct answers is 11-16, "Good!" if the number of correct answers is 17-18, and "Perfect!" if the number of correct answers is 18-20.

[0074] The aforementioned discrimination criterion adjustment unit 58 adjusts the discrimination criteria for determining whether or not a person has dementia and / or the state of dementia based on the year of birth, gender, and educational background of the person being tested. By adjusting the dementia discrimination criteria according to the rate of incorrect answers based on the year of birth, gender, and educational background of the person being tested, the selection and identification of dementia patients can be performed more accurately.

[0075] In other words, the earlier the year of birth of the person being tested (confirmed from the entered date of birth), the more likely they are to be judged as normal even if their rate of incorrect answers is relatively high. If the person being tested is female, the probability of having dementia is higher than that of a male of the same age, so they are judged as a dementia patient even if their rate of incorrect answers is relatively low. The lower the educational attainment of the person being tested, the higher the probability of having dementia, so they are judged as a dementia patient even if their rate of incorrect answers is relatively low.

[0076] Such adjustments to the aforementioned discrimination criteria are determined by each country or region according to the prevalence of dementia patients by age, sex, and educational attainment. For example, if the prevalence of dementia patients is relatively high when categorized by age, sex, and educational attainment, a person may be classified as having dementia even if their rate of incorrect answers is low. Conversely, if the prevalence of dementia patients is relatively low when categorized by age, sex, and educational attainment, a person may be classified as having dementia only if their rate of incorrect answers is very high.

[0077] As shown in Figure 4, the subject verification unit 59 compares the set age criteria with the entered date of birth to confirm whether or not the person is a subject of the test based on the age limit, and only executes the test if it is confirmed that the person is a subject of the test. This allows for more efficient execution of the diagnostic test by designating only people above a certain age as subjects of the test and excluding those who do not need to be tested. For example, if the age limit is set to 60 years old, the system compares this with the year of birth of the entered subject of the test, and people younger than 60 years old are excluded from the test, making it impossible to perform the dementia diagnostic test.

[0078] This dementia diagnostic system may consist of a computer, an integrated dementia diagnostic device, or a mobile communication terminal such as a smartphone, in which the character input device 10, the data storage device 20, the display 30, the selection operation device 40, and the controller 50 are modularized and integrated into a single unit. All functions may be created using a program or an application, which may then be installed and used on the terminal.

[0079] Figure 20 is a flowchart illustrating the dementia diagnosis method according to the present invention.

[0080] As shown in Figure 20, the image-based dementia diagnosis method according to the present invention includes an information input step (S1) in which the personal information of the person to be examined is entered into the screen; an image preparation step (S2) in which images for a memory test are prepared; an image presentation step (S3) in which a portion of the prepared images is extracted and presented to the person to be examined via the screen; a memory interference step (S4) in which the person to be examined's memory of the images is interfered with; an examination question item generation step (S5) in which examination question items for a memory test are generated; a memory test execution step (S6) in which the examination question items are output to the person to be examined and the memory test is performed; a dementia determination step (S7) in which it is determined whether or not the person has dementia based on the rate of incorrect answers confirmed by the memory test; and a result display step (S8) in which the test results of the person to be examined confirmed to have dementia are displayed on the screen. The dementia is diagnosed by sequentially performing these steps.

[0081] The image-based dementia diagnostic method may further include a results display step (S8) after the dementia discrimination step (S7), in which the diagnosis and test results of the person being examined are displayed on a screen after the dementia discrimination step (S7) has been completed.

[0082] In the information input step (S1) described above, the personal information includes the name, date of birth, gender, educational background, and contact information of the person being tested, and the educational background may be set to allow selection by academic year, from no education to graduate school.

[0083] The dementia discrimination step (S7) may further include a criteria adjustment process that adjusts the criteria for determining whether or not a person has dementia and / or the state of dementia based on the year of birth, sex, and educational background of the person being examined.

[0084] The information input step (S1) may further include a subject verification process that compares the set age criteria with the entered date of birth to determine whether or not the person is subject to testing based on the age restriction, and performs the test only if it is confirmed that the person is subject to testing.

[0085] In the image presentation step (S3), the images may be characterized by being displayed on the screen for 1 to 3 seconds each.

[0086] The image presentation step (S3) may further include an inspection start notification process that outputs an inspection start notification message in text and / or voice before presenting the images to notify the start of the inspection, and a memory request notification process that outputs a memory request notification message in text and / or voice after the inspection start notification process is completed, notifying the number of images to be presented and requesting that the presented images be stored.

[0087] The test question item generation step (S5) may be characterized in that the number of test question items is 1.5 to 2.5 times the number of images presented in the image presentation step (S3).

[0088] In the test question item generation step (S5), the test question item may be a true / false type question where the user selects "○" if the answer is correct and "×" if the answer is incorrect.

[0089] The memory test execution step (S6) may further include a problem item number notification process, which before outputting the test problem items, outputs a problem item number notification statement in text and / or voice that notifies the number of test problem items to be output, and a solution method notification process, which after the problem item number notification process is completed, outputs a solution method notification statement in text and / or voice that notifies the problem solving method and the time required for the test.

[0090] In the process of notifying the resolution method, the time required for the inspection may be notified as 30 to 50 seconds.

[0091] The memory disruption step (S4) may include a concentration test notification process in which, after the presentation of the extracted images is completed, a concentration test notification text is output in writing and / or voice to notify the subject of the start of the concentration test; a test method notification process in which, after the completion of the concentration test notification process, a test method notification text is output in writing and / or voice to notify the subject of the concentration test method and the time required for the test; and a concentration test execution process in which the concentration test is performed after the completion of the test method notification process.

[0092] In the memory obstruction step (S4), the concentration test may be a color classification test in which various colors are presented sequentially and the test participant selects a specific color as the correct answer.

[0093] The aforementioned concentration test consists of 10 to 30 questions, with black being the correct answer and red and blue being the incorrect answers. The black, red, and blue colors may be represented by circles of the same size.

[0094] The memory obstruction step (S4) may further include a concentration test practice step in which the concentration test is practiced by performing the concentration test 4 to 8 times in advance, immediately before performing the concentration test execution step.

[0095] This dementia diagnostic system, configured in this way, is a groundbreaking invention that enables rapid and accurate identification of dementia by presenting images to the subject of the test and performing a memory test related to the images while the subject is unable to correctly recall the presented images due to memory interference.

[0096] Embodiments of the present invention can be realized in the form of a computer program that can be executed on a computer by various components, and such a computer program can be recorded on a computer-readable medium. Here, the medium includes magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magneto-optical recording media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROMs, RAMs, and flash memory.

[0097] On the other hand, the computer program may be specifically designed and configured for the present invention, or it may be publicly known and available to those skilled in the field of computer software. Examples of computer programs include not only machine code generated by a compiler, but also high-level language code executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

[0098] According to one embodiment, the methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure can be provided in a computer program product. The computer program product can be traded as a commodity between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product can be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or through an application store (e.g., Play Store). TMThe computer program product can be distributed online (e.g., by download or upload) via a network or directly between two user devices. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated on a storage medium readable by equipment such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store server, or an intermediary server.

[0099] With respect to the steps constituting the method according to the present invention, unless otherwise stated, the steps may be performed in any order that suits them. The present invention is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps are described above. The use of all examples or exemplary terms (e.g., etc.) in the present invention is solely for the purpose of illustrating the invention in detail, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by such examples or exemplary terms unless otherwise limited by the claims. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be constructed within the scope of the claims or their equivalents with various modifications, combinations, and changes, depending on the design conditions and factors.

[0100] On the other hand, while specific embodiments have been described in the detailed description of the present invention, it is obvious to those with ordinary skill in the art that various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A system that diagnoses dementia by presenting images, Includes a controller that controls the aforementioned system, The aforementioned controller, The prescribed image is presented to the person being examined, After the presentation of the aforementioned images is complete, a test question item is generated and output by randomly mixing multiple images, with the image that has been presented being the correct answer and all other images being incorrect. The test is then performed in which the user selects the outputted test question item as correct if it is the same as the image that was presented, and as incorrect if it is not the same as the image that was presented. After the memory test is completed, it is determined whether or not the person has dementia and one or more of the conditions of dementia, based on the degree of incorrect answers to the test items confirmed by the memory test. The aforementioned controller, After the presentation of the aforementioned images is complete, a process is executed to output materials that concentrate the attention of the subject and to interfere with the subject's memory of the images. The process that interferes with the aforementioned memory is, An image-based dementia diagnosis system characterized by outputting a concentration test notification message to inform the subject of the test of the start of the concentration test and a test method notification message to inform the subject of the concentration test method, and after the output of the test method notification message is completed and immediately before the actual execution of the concentration test, the concentration test is performed multiple times in advance to allow the subject of the test to practice the concentration test, and the concentration test is performed after the practice is completed.

2. The aforementioned controller, The image-based dementia diagnostic system according to claim 1, characterized in that, after determining whether or not the person has dementia and one or more of the conditions of dementia, the diagnosis and test results of the person being examined are displayed.

3. The aforementioned controller, The image-based dementia diagnostic system according to claim 1, characterized in that the criteria for determining whether or not a person has dementia and one or more of the states of dementia are adjusted based on the year of birth, sex, and educational background of the person being examined.

4. The aforementioned controller, Before presenting the aforementioned image, a test start notification message indicating the start of the memory test is output to the screen. The image-based dementia diagnosis system according to claim 1, characterized in that, after notification of the start of the memory test is completed, a memory request notification message requesting the presented image to be memorized is output to the screen.

5. The aforementioned controller, The image-based dementia diagnosis system according to claim 1, characterized in that, before outputting the aforementioned test question items, it outputs a solution method notification message on the screen that notifies the user of the problem-solving method.

6. The aforementioned controller, The image-based dementia diagnostic system according to claim 1, characterized in that it performs the concentration test, which includes a color classification test in which various colors are presented sequentially and a specific color is selected as the correct answer.

7. An image-based dementia diagnosis method performed by a controller that controls an image-based dementia diagnosis system, The steps include presenting a predetermined image to the person being examined, After the presentation of the aforementioned images is complete, a test question item is generated and output by randomly mixing multiple images, with the image that has been presented being the correct answer and all other images being incorrect. The test is then performed by having the user select the outputted test question item as correct if it is the same as the image that was presented, and as incorrect if it is not the same as the image that was presented. After the memory test is completed, the process includes a step of automatically determining whether or not the person has dementia and one or more states of dementia, based on the degree of incorrect answer rate for the test questions confirmed by the memory test. After the step of presenting the predetermined image to the person being examined, The process further includes outputting materials that concentrate the attention of the subject being tested and performing a process that interferes with the subject's memory of images, The step of performing the process that interferes with the memory is: An image-based dementia diagnosis method characterized by including the steps of outputting a concentration test notification message to notify the subject of the test of the start of the concentration test and a test method notification message to notify the subject of the concentration test method, and after the output of the test method notification message is completed and immediately before the actual execution of the concentration test, performing the concentration test multiple times in advance to allow the subject of the test to practice the concentration test, and then performing the concentration test for the first time after the practice is completed.

8. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for executing the method according to claim 7 on a computer.

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