Cognitive Assessment
Non-invasive, quantitative
analysis of brain magnetic
fields correlate with
standard format
neurocognitive
assesments.
Test Procedure
Hearing repeated sound
tones seated while
head against helmet
of magnetic field
detector.
Limitations
Able to:
Sit still
Hear tones
No extensive dental
implants
Why?
More than 15 test
dimensions
separately track
cognitive changes.
Test Duration
One 20 min session
45 min rest
Second 20 min session
Total:
1.5 Hours
The non-invasive, quantitative way
to evaluate brain function.
Cognitive Assestment
MIND.MEG is a non-invasive, quantitative way to evaluate brain function. The results of the MIND.MEG assessment match up very well to the most common standard format test (administered as question and answer) of cognition called MMS (mini mental status) but also to a battery of more than
30 standard format cognitive tests.
Data Acquisition Setting
MIND.MEG is the analysis of the changes in human brain magnetic field from internal and external stimuli by means of magnetoencephalography (MEG). Human electrical brain activity creates faint magnetic fields that MEG detects. MEG has been available for clinical use for decades, and now MIND.MEG has captured a series of brain wave patterns that correlate with cognition.
Acquisition Format
The subject sits in a comfortable chair while the MEG device helmet covers the subject's head. The MEG protocol simply has the subject listen for an identical sound repeatedly while keeping her eyes closed. The subject merely needs to stay still and is sometimes distracted by a different sound
to help maintain focus.
Data Acquisition Duration
Limitations
MIND.MEG has been analyzed only for elderly people. For the data to be useful, the subject must be able to lie reasonably still. The patient cannot be completely hearing impaired. If the subject has extensive
dental hardware that cannot be removed, or other ferromagnetic metal in their bodies that interfere with the MEG signal, the data may also not be useful. The MEG protocol that is the basis for MIND.MEG has been in use since at least 1999 and there have been
noreported side effects.
The subject is exposed to about 250 stimuli (epochs) sound tones,with loudness adjusted for the subject's hearing. The sound tones occur one every 2.5 seconds. The series of epochs (a run) lasts about 20 minutes, and after a 45 minute break there is a repeat 20 minute run. The entire data acquisition, including the break, takes about 1.5 hours.
Why?
MIND.MEG has more than 15 different types of
measurements or dimensions; each of which is analysed separately. Subjects with the same cognitive function typically have very different MIND.MEG results. Yet the SAME subject's MIND.MEG result remains stable over a period of a few days. Also if the subject's clinical condition either seems to improve from treatment or worsen over time, MIND.MEG can document that change.