Optical Brain Function Index Computing for ADHD Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for diagnosing attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children are hindered by subjective evaluations and the difficulty in applying brain function measurement techniques due to high deviation rates caused by hyperactivity and impulsivity, particularly with methods like fMRI, which require strong physical restraint, limiting early diagnosis and treatment effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A brain function index computing device and method using optical brain function measurement techniques to calculate activity values from the middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) regions, allowing for objective diagnosis of ADHD in children around school age, enabling precise differentiation between ADHD and non-ADHD individuals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fMRI is used to measure brain function, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation worsen due to strong physical restraint requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical restraint system of fMRI with an optical measurement system (fNIRS) that uses near-infrared light to measure brain function. This substitution eliminates the need for strong physical restraint while maintaining measurement capability, allowing children with ADHD to be measured in a more natural state.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameters from the complex magnetic resonance signals of fMRI to the optical absorption signals of fNIRS. By measuring hemoglobin concentration changes through light absorption in the near-infrared region, the system achieves sufficient measurement precision without requiring the complex physical restraint infrastructure of fMRI.
2Measurement precision
If fMRI is used to measure brain function, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity worsens due to large-scale infrastructure requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the large-scale mechanical and electromagnetic infrastructure of fMRI with a portable optical measurement system. By using near-infrared light sources and detectors that can be positioned directly on the scalp, the system eliminates the need for magnet rooms, complex shielding, and large-scale infrastructure while achieving adequate measurement precision for clinical use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs relatively simple, portable optical measurement devices that can be easily deployed and removed, replacing the expensive, fixed infrastructure of fMRI. The system uses standard near-infrared light sources and detectors that are much less expensive and far more flexible than fMRI equipment.
3Ease of operation
If optical brain function measurement is used, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision worsens due to potential motion artifacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates motion detection and correction mechanisms that monitor subject movement during measurement and compensate for motion artifacts in real-time. By detecting changes in optical path length and adjusting the measurement parameters accordingly, the system maintains measurement precision even when children move during the measurement process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the natural movement of children with ADHD from a harmful factor into a manageable parameter. Rather than attempting to completely eliminate motion, the system measures brain function during normal activity and uses the motion patterns themselves as additional information about brain state, turning the previously problematic motion into a feature rather than a bug.
4Ease of operation
If subjective behavior observation is used for ADHD diagnosis, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision worsens due to subjective judgment dependence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the subjective human judgment system with an objective optical measurement system. Instead of relying on parents' or teachers' subjective observations of behavior, the system directly measures brain function parameters (hemoglobin concentration changes) that objectively reflect ADHD-related neural dysfunction, eliminating observer bias while maintaining ease of administration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a reliable, objective brain function index for diagnosing ADHD at the individual level, applicable to children as young as school age, with high sensitivity and specificity, facilitating early diagnosis and treatment.
Implementation Method 1
irradiating a subject with a light beam in the visible to near-infrared region, which has high living body permeability, from the surface of the top of the head and detecting the light beam so as to spectroscopically measure hemodynamic changes in the cerebral cortex
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a technique for computing a brain function index for diagnosing a mental disorder at the individual level, which can be applied to even a child around school age. A brain function index computing device includes a brain activity value calculation processing unit configured to calculate from brain activity signals of a subject a first brain activity value of a region including the meddle frontal gyrus (MFG) and a second brain activity value of a region including the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG); and a brain function index calculation processing unit configured to calculate a brain function index associated with a mental disorder using the first brain activity value and the second brain activity value.