The present invention provides a method for diagnosing, detecting and
monitoring brain function, especially neurological diseases and
disorders. This invention examines the output of a neurological
monitoring device such as an electroencephalography (EEG) recording. The
EEG recording is often taken while a person is engaged in a specific
neurological task such as delayed recognition. This invention provides
for two methods for the diagnosis, detection and brain monitoring based
on the EEG recording. The first is the use of the person as their own
baseline for comparison. The efficacy of a person's brain function is
measured by comparing a portion of their EEG recording with a different
portion. Each of these portions is taken from the same EEG recording of a
single neurological task performance.
The second method is the minimal use of monitoring device output, such as
an EEG recording, in a manner congruent with the neurological task being
performed by the person. For example, to test a person's delayed
recognition memory; a person would first be required to perform a delayed
recognition memory task. Then, the EEG recording for two electrodes, P3
and P4 would be examined for the first 150 milliseconds after recognition
memory stimulus onset. Then the EEG recording for two other electrodes,
T7FPp1 and T8Fp2 would be examined for the next 150 milliseconds. Since
this choice of electrodes and times is congruent with the neurological
task of delayed recognition, the data is highly relevant to the
monitoring of the person's delayed recognition memory. This method,
combined with using a person as their own baseline allows this invention
to provide high accuracy in the detection, diagnosis and monitoring of
brain function, especially neurological diseases and disorders.
