Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system in a specific environment – Biological or biochemical
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-13
2003-11-25
Hoff, Marc S. (Department: 2857)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system in a specific environment
Biological or biochemical
C434S350000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06654695
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a dementia test apparatus for testing a dementia degree of a testee, a dementia test system, a dementia test server constituting the dementia test system, and a dementia test client.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATES ART
We are at the head of the 21st century and in Japan, a state in which graying and declining birthrate are simultaneously in process will be continued. The number of senior citizens requiring care is increased and the number of people of age bracket giving care is reduced, and in such a state, care for maintaining health of senior citizen is a national important problem.
Especially, senile dementia is a difficult problem to be solved because if the dementia degree is worsened, it is impossible to recover and great labor is required for the care due to the nature of the dementia. The Ministry of Health and Welfare estimates that future transition of dementia is 7.2% (11,560,000) of senior citizens of 65 years old or older in 2000, and 8.1% or more (2,260,000) in 2010.
On the other hand, according to recent researches, it becomes apparent that it is possible to prevent or recover the dementia by carrying out rehabilitation or training at relatively light degree of dementia. However, in the case of light dementia, there is no problem for daily life, and it is difficult to find the dementia.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the invention to provide a dementia test apparatus for testing a dementia degree of a testee, a dementia test system, a dementia test server constituting the dementia test system, and a dementia test client which are effective for ready detection of the initial sign (initial dementia) of the senile dementia.
A first dementia test system of the present invention achieving the above object comprises:
an answer obtaining section for obtaining an answer of a testee to a dementia degree test chart which requires a plurality kinds of judgements at the same time and obtains an answer in such a form that correction of judgement is objectively judged; and
a dementia degree test section for testing a dementia degree indicative of a degree of dementia of the testee based on the answer obtained by the answer obtaining section.
A function of judgment of a human is controlled by a frontal lobe of a brain. The dementia is variously classified depending upon a cause of generation or the like. It is said that the most popular senile dementia (or obsolete dementia) is caused by hypofunction of the frontal lobe. To check the judgement by the frontal lobe function, it is found that a test requiring a plurality of judging force at the same time is effective. For example, in a “character pick-up” test which will be explained later, two operations, i.e., an operation to pick up characters such as “a”, “b”, “c”, “d”, “e”, and an operation to understand contents of sentences thereof are carried out at the same time.
In the conventional “character pick-up” test, however, a counselor must attend the testee and judge to what degree the testee understands the meaning of the sentences, and this is not suitable of a dementia test for many people who are not aware of the dementia.
In the dementia test apparatus of the present invention, the dementia degree test chart which requires a plurality kinds of judgements at the same time and obtains an answer in such a form that correction of judgement is objectively judged is employed. An answer of the testee to the dementia degree test chart is obtained, and the dementia degree is tested based on the answer. By using the dementia test apparatus, it is possible to find the dementia earlier.
In the first dementia test apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that the apparatus further comprises a chart storing section for storing the dementia degree test chart, and a chart display section for displaying the dementia degree test chart.
In the dementia test apparatus of the present invention, the testee's answer may be read in using an OCR (Optical Card Reader) or an operator may input the answer using a keyboard, but if the dementia degree test chart is stored and it is displayed as described above, the answer obtaining section can be constituted such that the testee himself or herself answers while receiving the test, and the apparatus can conveniently be handled.
The first dementia test apparatus of the present invention, when a plurality of testees are divided into a plurality of groups based on a predetermined criterion, may comprises a statistic storing section for storing a statistic processing result of answer of the testees in each of the groups, wherein the dementia degree test section tests a position in the statistic processing result of the answer to the dementia degree test chart of a current testee obtained by the answer obtaining section.
Here, examples of the “predetermined criterion” are “age-specific criterion” in which testees are separated based on age or “gender-specific and age-specific criterion”. However, the invention is not limited to them, such criterion may simply be “gender-specific criterion”, and the testees may be classified according to circumstances or climate, or disease, and the invention is not limited to a specific criterion.
As described above, the statistic processing result is stored, and a position with respect to the statistic result of the current testee is tested, and the dementia degree of the testee may be tested.
The first dementia test apparatus of the present invention may further comprise a dementia degree storing section for storing a relationship between the answer to the dementia degree test chart and a dementia degree, wherein
the dementia degree test section refers to the dementia degree storing section, and tests a dementia degree of the current testee from the answer to the dementia degree test chart of the current testee obtained by the answer obtaining section.
In this manner, the dementia degree of the testee may be tested.
It is preferable that the first dementia test apparatus of the present invention further comprises a result display section for displaying a dementia degree test result obtained by the dementia degree test section.
By providing the result display section, it is possible to immediately and easily confirm the dementia degree of the testee.
It is preferable that the first dementia test apparatus of the present invention further comprises a test-allowability judging section for allowing or prohibiting a test-requiring person depending whether a predetermined time has been elapsed after the test-requiring person received the test last time.
This is because that if the testee receives the test frequently, there is a possibility that the testee becomes used to the test, and precise test can not be carried out.
A second dementia test apparatus of the present invention achieving the above object comprises:
an answer obtaining section for obtaining an answer of a testee to both a dementia degree test chart which requires a plurality kinds of judgements at the same time and obtains an answer in such a form that correction of judgement is objectively judged, and a dementia factor degree test chart comprising a combination of a plurality of question concerning sensibility and a plurality of answers alternatively selected from questions prepared for each of the former questions; and
a dementia degree test section for testing a current degree of dementia indicative of dementia of the testee and for estimating transition of future dementia degree of the testee based on an answer obtained by the answer obtaining section.
In the second dementia test apparatus of the present invention, in addition to the dementia degree test chart for objectively testing the judgement by the frontal lobe employed also in the first dementia test apparatus, the dementia factor degree test chart is further employed. As described above, the dementia factor degree test chart is related to the sensibility, and judges how much the right-br
Iguchi Yuichi
Kaneko Mitsuo
Shimizu Sohta
Shimura Takaki
Hoff Marc S.
Raymond Edward
Tokai University Educational System
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