JP2005013713A - Measurement of attention function, and method and apparatus for learning attention function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and apparatus for examination of attention function of the subject to be examined based on presenting two issues at the same time, and to provide a method and apparatus for learning the attention function for improving the attention function. <P>SOLUTION: By a means of displaying double issues, a tracking work sign presented for doing the tracking issue which requires continuous attention by at least visual recognition, and a memory sign presented for doing the memory issue which requires memory works by visual recognition are presented to the subject to be examined under the condition of simultaneous visual recognition of at least parts of them, and the subject inputs answers to the double issues by an answer inputting means to measure the divided attention function of the subject to be examined. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention presents two problems at the same time, a method for examining attention function for examining the attention function of the brain of a subject, a device for performing the method, and a function for attention for improving attention function. The present invention relates to a learning method and apparatus.

  It is known that intelligence deteriorates and causes cognitive impairment due to brain disorders and dementia. Dementia diseases include Alzheimer's disease mainly composed of dementia and diseases accompanied by other neurological symptoms.

FIG. 1 according to Non-Patent Document 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the degree of progression of symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
Kazuo Hasegawa, Jun Imafuku: Brain Medical 2: 13-17, 1990

  In FIG. 1, the horizontal axis indicates time, and the vertical axis indicates the degree of progression of symptoms. The solid line a is a curve showing the progress of Alzheimer's disease patients. A dotted line b is a curve showing the progress of benign amnesia of a healthy elderly person. As can be seen from this graph, the degree of dementia in Alzheimer's disease is the amnesia, aphasia, misrepresentation, acupuncture, mental confusion, hallucinations, and delusions corresponding to presenile onset with memory impairment, acalculation, apraxia It progresses to a confused period accompanied by dementia with advanced cognitive impairment and incontinence.

  Alzheimer's disease patients complain of memory impairment such as forgetfulness, but there are few complaints that the attention function (or attention distribution function) has deteriorated. The reason is that in daily life, the decline in attention function is less conspicuous than memory impairment or because it is less aware.

As shown in Non-Patent Document 2, as a conventional examination method for knowing the degree of progression of Alzheimer's dementia, Hasegawa simple intelligence evaluation scale or MMSE (Mini-mental state examination) is used. Each of the inspection methods is a question-and-answer formula performed by a patient who is a patient and an inspector such as a doctor. The Hasegawa test is rated 30 points out of 20 and below, and the MMSE test is rated 30%, and less than 24 points is determined to be intelligent. It is what is used.
Yukito Shinohara, et al., “How to Treat Neurosurgery ABC”, Special Issue of the Japan Medical Association Magazine, Japan Medical Association, vol. 110 No. 5, p. 140-146, 369-371

  However, since all the conventional inspection methods are interactive, in some cases, the inspection may take a long time of 1 hour or more. Furthermore, since it is necessary for the patient to face the person in charge of the examination, the patient's mental state that the patient is tense becomes unstable, causing a problem in the examination.

  The degree of decline in the attention function of a dementia patient as typified by Alzheimer's disease corresponds to the degree of progression of dementia. Therefore, if the degree of progression of dementia is known, it can be used to treat dementia. In addition, the degree of progression of dementia is important information for providing care and treatment for a family member who provides care support for a patient with dementia, a care helper, and a doctor or nurse who performs treatment. Therefore, in particular, if the degree of progress in mild dementia is known, it is possible to respond more appropriately to the patient and contribute to stopping progress.

  Therefore, there has been a demand for an inspection tool that can determine the degree of progression of dementia more conveniently among customers. There has also been a demand for an inspection tool that can avoid the face-to-face contact between the patient and the person in charge of the inspection as much as possible and that can inspect in a shorter time than before.

  In addition to dementia, there has been a demand for means for measuring attention functions and learning to improve attention functions for actions that require a plurality of attentions simultaneously, such as driving a car.

  Therefore, the present invention is based on presenting two tasks at the same time, a method and apparatus for examining attention function for examining the attention function of the brain of the subject, a method for learning attention function for improving attention function, and It is an object to provide an apparatus.

  The present inventor has focused on the fact that the attention distribution function of a dementia patient is reduced, and has reached the present invention based on having a subject work on a plurality of tasks simultaneously.

  The attention function measuring device of the present invention includes a tracking work indicator to be presented for at least a tracking task that requires continuous attention by visual recognition, and a memory to be presented to perform a storage task that requires a visual storage task. A dual task display means for presenting a sign to the subject in a form in which at least a part of them are simultaneously viewed, and an answer input means for allowing the subject to input an answer to the dual task, It is characterized by measuring the subject's divided attention function.

  Here, the dual task display means is composed of a paper on which the tracking work sign and the memory sign are written on the same surface, and the paper includes at least an answer input means for filling in the answer of the tracking task with a writing instrument. It may be provided as a attention function measurement sheet.

  The tracking work mark may be provided with a plurality of marking marks that require marking by the subject's writing tool and an order mark that is provided between the two marking marks and that specifies the order of marking on the marking marks.

  The marking mark may have a substantially rectangular shape, and the order mark may be constituted by a connecting line connecting the marking marks.

  The memory mark may be displayed as a pattern or a figure that can be given a color tone, or a combination thereof.

  The marking marker and the memory marker may be displayed non-superimposed on each other or may be partially superimposed on each other.

  The marking sign and the memory sign may be displayed in combination with each other.

  The marking indicia may be arranged in a single line and the memory indicia may be arranged along that line.

  Both the tracking task and the memory task are tasks for determining a decrease in the attention distribution function. The degree of decline in the attention distribution function corresponds to the degree of progression of dementia. Therefore, the test using this sheet is performed on subjects such as healthy individuals, suspected dementia patients with known progress and dementia patients, etc., and the relationship between the results and the progress of dementia is examined in advance. By doing so, the degree of dementia can be determined from the test results.

  The attention function measurement sheet of the present invention is configured as a double-task type test sheet in which a tracking task and a storage task are marked on one sheet. According to this inspection sheet, during the inspection time on this inspection sheet, there is a first advantage that it is possible to avoid the question and answer between the subject and the person in charge of the inspection.

Moreover, when inspecting using this inspection paper, the inspection time can be set freely. It is examined how much and how reliably the subject has completed the tracking work within a predetermined time, and how reliably the contents of the memory mark are memorized. According to this inspection sheet, a sufficient amount of data for knowing the degree of deterioration of the attention distribution function can be obtained in a short inspection time of several tens of seconds to several minutes. As described above, according to the attention function measurement sheet of the present invention, the second advantage is that the inspection time can be a short time of 3 minutes or less at the maximum.
In the inspection, the time required to answer the amount of a predetermined task may be used as a criterion.

According to this examination sheet, if the level of difficulty is provided in the work content and the examination is performed step by step, the third advantage is obtained that the degree of dementia can be grasped more reliably.
With such a configuration, the tracking order can be more reliably specified for the subject, and the attention function measurement sheet can be specified by changing the work order designation and / or the contents of the memory indicator for each inspection sheet. There is an advantage that it is possible to rank the difficulty of inspection work.
Therefore, by causing the same subject to sequentially perform the inspection using the inspection sheet having a low degree of difficulty and the inspection using the inspection sheet having a high degree of difficulty, the degree of progress of dementia can be determined more finely and objectively.

  By marking the marking mark as a rectangular mark, the marking mark on the inspection sheet can be simply written in one mark specified in the rectangular mark or a plurality of marks can be written alternately. The degree of difficulty can be changed by using the marking method. For example, various marking methods can be set, such as filling in ○, filling in x, drawing a double line, filling in a check mark, etc., and the difficulty can be set accordingly. There are advantages. Also in this case, the degree of progression of dementia can be determined more finely and objectively.

  The above is an example of a paper as an apparatus for measuring the attention function, but the dual task display means is a monitor connected to a computer having at least calculation means, recording means, and input / output means, and answer input means This is the same even if it is configured with an input device connected to a computer.

  In that case, since the means for selecting the double assignment, the double assignment display means and the answer input means can be configured to be connected in isolation via a communication line, the subject can also perform the measurement himself at home. There is an advantage that convenience improves.

  The attention function measurement method causes the dual task display means to perform at least a tracking task indicator that is presented to perform a tracking task that requires continuous attention by visual recognition, and a memory task that requires a visual storage task. The memory sign to be presented to the subject is presented to the subject in such a form that at least a part of them can be viewed at the same time, and the subject is allowed to input the answer to the dual task by the answer input means, and the subject's divided attention function Is measured.

  Here, the dual task display means is constituted by a monitor connected to a computer having at least calculation means, recording means, and input / output means, and the answer input means is constituted by an input device connected to the computer, The tracking work indicator and the memory indicator may be presented randomly by random number processing in a computer.

  At least one of the tracking work indicator and the memory indicator may be a pattern or figure that can be given a color tone, or a combination thereof, and may further be deformed or moved, discolored or blinked, or a combination thereof. .

  The answer obtained from the answer input means may be scored and evaluated by a computer, and the following double task suitable for accurate measurement of the attention function may be presented according to the result.

  The scoring evaluation by computer may be statistically processed for each subject or for each subject group classified according to the subject's characteristics, and the characteristics of the individual subject or the subject group may be obtained.

  The answer obtained from the answer input means may be evaluated by scoring, and depending on the result, the next dual task suitable for the subject's attention function learning may be presented, thereby contributing to improvement of the subject's attention function. .

 According to the present invention, it is possible to measure a subject's divided attention function by performing a memory task that requires a memory task by visual recognition while performing a tracking task that requires at least continuous attention by visual recognition. Moreover, it can also be contributed to the improvement of an attention function by presenting the following double task according to scoring evaluation.

Hereinafter, examples of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the configuration and the arrangement relationship are merely schematically shown to the extent that the present invention can be understood. Further, the preferred embodiments described below are merely preferred examples, and the positional relationship and numerical conditions of each component can be appropriately changed according to the design without departing from the scope of the present invention.
In addition, although an inspection sheet for measuring attention function is given, it can be used in the same manner for a computer system equipped with a monitor for displaying the paper surface.

<First embodiment>
In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the paper 10 may be a plain paper as well as a synthetic paper, but may be any paper that can be marked by the subject with a writing instrument or the like. On one side of the sheet, a work sign 20 for a tracking task and a memory sign 30 for a storage task are displayed. This display is performed in a form that can be recognized with the naked eye. Usually, it is displayed using an appropriate method such as printing.

  In this first embodiment, the work marker 20 includes a plurality of marking markers 22 and a plurality of sequence markers 24, and these markers 22 and 24 are alternately arranged in a series. Each of the order indicators 24 is provided between the two marking indicators 22 and is an indicator for designating the order of marking on the series of marking indicators 22.

  In this first embodiment, the marking marker 22 is shown as a rectangular marker, in particular a white square block. This block is also called a box. The order indicator 24 is indicated by a straight line drawn with a solid line. The order indicator 24 may be drawn in the middle of two consecutive blocks 22, but is shown here as a connecting line between the two blocks, that is, a straight line connecting the vertices of two squares.

  The work sign 20 shown in FIG. 2 is arranged in an array in which the marking marks 22 are arranged in a zigzag so that it can be regarded as a straight line as a whole.

  The memory mark 30 is a mark for storing the contents displayed on the paper at the same time as the subject performs the marking work. In the first embodiment, the memory indicator 30 is configured as a combination indicator of a character and an elliptical figure surrounding the character. Here, as an example, there are shown two types of labels, a combined sign 32 whose character is “Kirin” with a katakana character and a combined sign 34 whose character is “Lion”. As an example, these signs 30 (32, 34) are displayed at appropriate intervals on one side or both sides along the work sign 20 displayed in a straight line.

  The number and size of the marking marker 22 and the memory marker 30 may be appropriately determined as any suitable number and size according to the purpose of the inspection, the inspection time, the subject, etc. is there.

<Second embodiment>
With reference to FIG. 3, a second embodiment of the attention function inspection sheet of the present invention will be described. In FIG. 3, the paper is not shown and only the sign portion is extracted and shown.
The second embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the first embodiment described above, but differs from the first embodiment in that the memory sign is a sign made up of a combination of a figure and a pattern, The sign 36 is displayed partially overlapping the work sign 20. The memory mark 36 of the second embodiment is composed of a combination mark 36a having a halftone dot pattern in a star-shaped figure and a combination mark 36b having a halftone dot pattern in a crescent-shaped figure. . Since the other points are the same as those in the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted.

<Third embodiment>
The third embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has substantially the same configuration as the first and second embodiments described above, but the difference from the first and second embodiments is that the memory sign is a graphic and a color. It is a mark composed of a combination, and some marking signs selected from a plurality of marking signs are shared (partially shared).

  The memory indicator 38 of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is also used as some square blocks selected according to the design, and red (R), green (G) and blue (B ) Is a binding sign colored with one of the colors. The colors of the binding marks 38a, 38b and 38c which are also used as these marking marks are indicated by R, G and B, respectively. Further, it may be only one color of R, G and B, or any combination thereof. The number of each binding label to be set is merely a design problem. It is.

<Fourth embodiment>
The fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 5 has substantially the same configuration as the first, second, and third embodiments described above, but differs from these embodiments in that a marking indicator and a storage indicator are provided. This is a point where all are shared, and a sign itself is a sign of only a figure, and a plurality of types, that is, figures of different shapes are used.

  The marking mark 42 itself of the work mark 40 is constituted by white figures 42a, 42b, 42c and 42d. The marking indicator 42 is also used as a memory indicator (that is, shared in all), and the display function as the memory indicator is in the shape of a figure. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the figure has a round (◯) shape, a triangular (Δ) shape, a square (□) shape, and a star (☆) shape. The number, size, and arrangement order of each of the square marker 42a, the round marker 42b, the star marker 42c, and the triangular marker 42d may be appropriately determined according to the design. What figure should be used as the memory mark may be set each time the subject is inspected.

  In the fourth embodiment, the order mark 44 is shown as an arrow for indicating the tracking direction between the two marking marks.

<Fifth embodiment>
The fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 6 has a configuration in which the work mark 20 described in the first embodiment described above is bent or curved at a plurality of locations on one surface of the sheet 10. Further, in the fifth embodiment, each of the memory signs 50 is displayed at a position surrounded by the work signs 20. For example, as memory marks, on the same paper surface of the paper 10, a combination of katakana letters “Tsubaki”, “Sakura”, “Shove”, “Cosmos” and “Kiku” in an elliptical figure, respectively. The signs 50a, 50b, 50c, 50d and 50e are displayed. These binding marks 50a, 50b, 50c, 50d and 50e are appropriately distributed and displayed in the vicinity of the bent portion of the zigzag work mark 20.

  The bent or curved portions and the number of the work signs 20 are merely design items. Further, the contents, the number, size, and arrangement location of the memory sign 50 are merely design matters.

<Modification>
In each of the above-described embodiments, the description has been given of the case where the marking signs constituting the work sign are arranged in one direction in a zigzag so that the work sign can be regarded as a straight line as a whole. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is not something. For example, marking markers may be arranged along a straight line so that the entire work marker is arranged in a straight line.

  In the fifth embodiment, the example in which the work sign is provided in a zigzag manner has been described, but it may be provided in a spiral shape.

  In the first, second, fourth, and fifth embodiments, the marking mark is shown as a white graphic, but a color, a pattern, a character, a symbol, or the like may be displayed alone or in an appropriate combination in the graphic. Good.

  In the first, second, third, and fifth embodiments, the marking mark is a square figure, but it may be a circle, a triangle, a polygon, an ellipse, a star, or any other suitable figure.

  The degree of difficulty of the tracking task is lowest in the form in which the work signs, that is, the marking signs are linearly arranged, and is higher in the form in which the marking signs are twisted and arranged in a more complicated manner.

Furthermore, the memory task varies depending on the tracking task arrangement pattern, patterns such as characters and symbols, figures, colors and colors, and their combination. In addition, the signs of these tasks may not be fixed because they are deformed, moved, discolored or flickered.
For each combination pattern of such arrangement form and binding form, test data for healthy subjects, suspected dementia patients, and dementia patients is taken in advance, and based on the test data, the final data What pattern should be determined and how difficult it is. Further, the size of the marking mark or the memory mark itself is merely a design matter.

  Further, for example, the average value is obtained from the test data of healthy persons, and the deviation value of the test data of the suspected dementia person and the dementia person can be found based on the average value. If the average value and deviation value of these subjects are statistically examined in advance for healthy individuals, suspected dementia patients, and dementia patients, the degree of dementia of the subject can be determined from the deviation values of individual subjects. be able to. In this case, a more reliable inspection result can be obtained by providing a degree of difficulty in the marking operation and evaluating the results of both the easy marking method and the difficult marking method.

<Inspection method and results>
1. Inspection Method The inspection paper according to the present invention is a paper for inspecting divided attention. Therefore, a tracking task and a memory task are displayed. The subject marks the tracking task with a designated marking method on a work marker using a writing instrument such as a pencil. During this marking operation, the contents of the storage task are stored at the same time. These operations are performed within a predetermined time.
After the examination using the paper, the stored content is asked to the subject by a verbal question-and-answer formula or a question-and-answer formula using a paper regarding the memory task. The number of correct reproductions, that is, the correct answer rate is referred to as the number of correct reproductions. The marking work results and the memory task results can be obtained as deviation values from the standard value of the healthy person, and it can be determined from the deviation values whether the attention function has deteriorated. Also, based on the test data for a patient whose degree of dementia has been known in advance, the degree of dementia of the new patient can be known from the test result for the new patient on this paper.

  The marking operation can be performed in two steps, that is, an easy method and a difficult method, or divided into steps of higher difficulty. Normally, it is easy to carry out two methods, an easy method and a difficult method.

  The attention function may be measured by the length of time required to complete the dual task.

  The attention function may be measured by providing a difficulty difference in the memory task instead of the tracking task.

2. Inspection Examples Two examples using the attention function inspection sheet shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 will be described. FIGS. 7A and 7B are examples using the first embodiment of FIG. FIGS. 8A and 8B are examples using a modification of the fifth embodiment of FIG. Both the sheets in FIGS. 7 and 8 were A4 sheets. On one side of the sheet, 150 square boxes of 1 cm are randomly arranged as marking markers in the example of FIG. 7 and 300 squares in the example of FIG. 8, and the vertices are solid connecting lines that are order markers. Connected with, work signs are configured.

The marking method has two difficulty levels, an easy method and a difficult method. The easy method is a method in which three consecutive boxes are sequentially marked with slashes (slashes) (///: easy). In a difficult method, three consecutive boxes are sequentially marked with a slash (slash) in the first two boxes and an X mark in the last one box (// ×: difficult). FIG. 7A and FIG. 8A are examples of work in an easy system. FIG. 7B and FIG. 8B are work examples in a difficult method.
During the examination, subjects were instructed to mark all boxes as quickly as possible.

The memory task is an operation for storing the words described in the empty space of the work sign. In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the memory sign is an ellipse and a joint sign with a character surrounded by the ellipse, and “Kirin”, “Lion”, “Giraffe”, “Lion”, “Giraffe” A total of five Katakana characters were displayed. In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, similarly, the memory mark is a combination mark between an ellipse and a character surrounded by the ellipse, and “apple” (60a), “banana” (60b), “strawberry”. A total of 16 hiragana characters (60c), "mandarin orange" (60d), and "straw" (60e) were displayed.
The inspection time in either of FIGS. 7 and 8 was 90 seconds.

The subjects' classes and attention function test forms are as follows.
(Case 1): Examination of only suspected Alzheimer patients (referred to as AD group) a) Nine suspected Alzheimer patients (AD group) with 20 or more MMSE (mild to moderate) (8 women; 1 male) Name) (Age 59 to 80 (average 69.2))
b) The target examination paper is the paper of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 (case 2): examination of suspected Alzheimer patients (AD group) and healthy subjects a) suspected Alzheimer with 20 or more MMSE (mild to moderate) -15 patients (AD group) (14 females; 1 male) (age 59-80 years (average 72.0 years)) and healthy individuals: 6 middle-aged groups (41-54 years) and old age group 5 (62-76 years old)
b) The target inspection paper is the paper of the embodiment shown in FIG.

3. Inspection result (case 1 result)
The test results were as follows. In the tracking task, we investigated how many markings were performed on the boxes in order.

  In the tracking task, the average tracking number (achieved number) was 105 for easy difficulty, and the average tracking number (achieved number) was 80 for difficult difficulty. However, since the marking error indicates that the attention distribution function is deteriorated, it is excluded from the achieved number (see FIG. 9A).

  In the memory task, the memory contents were the names of “Kirin” and “Lion”, and the displayed number of each name. After inspecting the paper, each person was asked verbally to check the number of correctly reproduced items. In the memory task, the average number of reproductions was 3 in the case of easy difficulty, and the average number of reproductions was 2.2 in the case of difficult difficulty (see FIG. 9B).

  From this inspection result, it became clear that as the difficulty level of the tracking task increases, it becomes difficult to distribute attention to the task request. Therefore, by changing the degree of difficulty of this tracking task and aligning the average test data values for healthy subjects and patients with known degree of dementia, the degree of dementia progression in dementia patients can be determined. It can be seen that it can be inspected.

(Result of Case 2)
The test results were as follows (see FIGS. 10A and 10B).

  In the tracking task, as in case 1, in the case of easy difficulty, the average tracking number (achieved number) is 240 for the middle-aged group (○ mark), 230 for the old age group (× mark), and The AD group (Δ mark) is 110, and in the case of difficult difficulty, the average tracking number (achieved number) is 200 for the middle age group (○ mark), 165 for the old age group (× mark), and AD The group (Δ mark) was 90 (see FIG. 10A).

  In the memory task, the number of normal reproductions was examined in the same manner as in the case 1 with the stored contents as the names “apple”, “banana”, “strawberry”, “mandarin orange”, and “straw”. In the memory task, in the case of easy difficulty, the average number of positive replays is 11.5 for the middle-aged group (◯ mark), 8.2 for the old age group (x mark), and 5. for the AD group (△ mark). In the case of difficult difficulty, the average number of positive regenerations was 10.3 for the middle-aged group (circles), 8.0 for the aged group (x marks), and 4. for the AD group (triangles). 2 (see FIG. 10B).

  From this inspection result, it became clear that as the difficulty level of the tracking task increases, it becomes difficult to distribute attention to the task request. Therefore, the degree of dementia progression in dementia patients is examined by changing the difficulty level of this tracking task and aligning average test data values for healthy subjects and patients whose progress is known. You can see that

  As is clear from the above, according to the attention function inspection sheet according to the present invention, the dual problem of the tracking problem and the storage problem is displayed on the same sheet surface of the sheet so that it can be confirmed with the naked eye. The inspection with this sheet is performed by causing the subject to simultaneously perform an operation of setting an inspection time and marking with a writing instrument within the time, and an operation of storing the contents of the memory task during the operation. be able to. Therefore, since the examination is not a conventional face-to-face system, the subject's mental state at the time of the examination is stable, and therefore, the presence or absence of a decline in the attention function can be more reliably examined. Further, by comparing the test result with a statistical average data value obtained in advance, the degree of progression of dementia can be judged between customers. Judgment using this paper is particularly effective for discriminating patients with mild Alzheimer-dementia who complain of memory impairment such as forgetfulness.

  In addition, because the inspection time is determined according to the designated marking method by marking the marking signs among the work signs, the deterioration of the attention function is judged. For this purpose, a maximum of 400 to 500 marking markers are sufficient. Therefore, even if three marking markers can be marked per second, a work time of about 170 seconds is sufficient. Therefore, the paper of the present invention can be inspected for a short time of about 200 seconds (approximately 3 minutes or more) at the maximum as compared with the conventional one hour inspection time.

  Further, according to the attention function test sheet of the present invention, the degree of progress of dementia can be more accurately known from the test result by assigning a difficulty level to one or both of the tracking task and the memory task.

  The above is an example in which paper is used as a medium for measuring the attention function. However, the present invention provides at least a tracking work indicator to be presented for performing a tracking task requiring continuous attention by visual recognition, and storage by visual recognition. A dual task display means for presenting a memory sign to be presented to perform a memory task that requires a work in a form in which at least a part of them is viewed at the same time, and a subject for the dual task The present invention can be applied to a general apparatus including answer input means for inputting an answer.

  As such an attention function measuring device, the dual task display means is a monitor connected to a computer having at least computing means, recording means, and input / output means, and the answer input means is an input device connected to the computer. Are preferred.

In the case of a dual-task type test paper that records two tasks, a tracking task and a memory task, on a single sheet of paper and inspects the divided attention function of demented patients, etc., because the paper is used, only the types of problems that can be presented In addition, there are cases where scoring and evaluation require manpower. If the assignment is presented on paper, there is no fear that the subject will learn the contents of the assignment and hinder accurate scoring.
Therefore, using a monitor and input device connected to a computer instead of a paper inspection sheet, the attention function can be measured accurately and easily based on the presentation of problems and scoring by a computer.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of an attention function measuring device using a computer system.
When a start signal is input by an input device such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel, the CPU passes through an internal recording unit, an external recording unit such as a hard disk, an external memory, or an arithmetic processing unit according to the input content. Then, the tracking work indicator and the memory indicator constituting the dual task and the display form thereof are selected, outputted to the monitor and displayed.

According to this apparatus, since tracking work signs and memory signs can be selected at random by random number processing in the CPU, the subject may memorize a limited number of problems, or the problem provider may make a biased presentation. There is an advantage that it is possible to prevent artificial inaccuracy.
In addition, the color tone and shape of tracking work signs and memory signs can be easily changed as appropriate, and it is also easy to present them in a deformed, moved, discolored, and blinking manner. There is also.

  The subject handles the task of tracking work displayed on the monitor by operating a mouse, keyboard, touch panel, etc. alone or in combination, and stores the memory task displayed at the same time, such as a mouse, keyboard, touch panel, etc. Answer by answering with the input by or by voice input to the microphone.

When the answer response is input, the CPU compares the recorded correct answer and the evaluation standard, and appropriately outputs the scoring evaluation to the monitor.
Here, depending on the attention function measurement mode and the answer response content, the following problem may be presented to perform accurate measurement of the attention function.

If such a scoring evaluation is used, not only the pass / fail evaluation based on the correct answer rate, but also the answer patterns unique to the subject, such as the tendency and pattern of correct answers and incorrect answers, can be detected, so that detailed functional measurement can be performed.
Further, statistical processing may be performed for each subject or each subject group classified according to the subject's characteristics to contribute to obtaining the characteristics of the individual subject or the subject group.

  According to this apparatus, since the CPU unit for selecting a dual task and the monitor and answer / response input device can be isolated via a communication line, it is possible for the subject to perform the measurement himself at home. Since it is possible to collect a large number of measurement data from a large number of subjects via the, the statistical data and thus the determination accuracy can be improved.

Furthermore, the present device can be used for learning the attention function of the subject by presenting the next dual task suitable for learning the attention function of the subject according to the answer response.
As described above, the present invention is not limited to the examination of dementia patients and the like, for example, measurement of suitability for driving a car with the dual task of driving the vehicle and attention to visibility, and further presenting the dual task sequentially. It can also be used as a measure for learning the divided attention function in general, such as a learning means for improving abilities, and as a learning means.

According to the present invention, since the divided attention function can be accurately measured with simplicity, it is possible to detect the degree of deterioration of the attention function such as dementia. Therefore, it is useful for coping with the family such as the patient and medical personnel.
Further, since it can be used as a learning device for improving the divided attention function, it can also be used for improvement of dementia, for example, improvement of driving technology of automobiles.

Explanatory diagram showing the degree of progression of Alzheimer-dementia Schematic illustrating the first embodiment of the attention function inspection sheet Schematic illustrating the second embodiment of the attention function inspection sheet Schematic illustrating the third embodiment of the attention function inspection sheet Schematic illustrating the fourth embodiment of the attention function inspection sheet Schematic illustrating the fifth embodiment of the attention function inspection sheet Schematic for explaining the inspection method for inspecting using the paper of the first embodiment Schematic for explaining the inspection method for inspection using a modification of the fifth embodiment The graph which shows the test result corresponding to the test | inspection method demonstrated in FIG. The graph which shows the test result corresponding to the test | inspection method demonstrated in FIG. Explanatory drawing showing an overview of the attention function measuring device

Explanation of symbols

10 Paper 20, 40 Work sign 22, 42 (42a, 42b, 42c, 42d) Marking sign 24, 44 Order sign 30, 36, 38, 50 Memory sign 32, 34, 36a, 36b, 38a, 38b, 38c, 50a 50b, 50c, 50d, 50e, 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d, 60e

Claims (18)

At least a portion of a tracking work indicator to be presented to perform at least a tracking task requiring continuous attention by visual recognition, and a memory indicator to be presented to perform a memory task requiring memory work by visual recognition A dual task display means for presenting the subject in a form that can be viewed simultaneously,
In response to the dual task, it comprises an answer input means for allowing the subject to input an answer,
An attention function measuring apparatus for measuring a divided attention function of a subject. Dual issue display means
A paper with a tracking work indicator and a memory indicator on the same side,
The attention function measurement sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet also constitutes an answer input means in which at least an answer to the tracking task is entered with a writing instrument. Tracking work sign
Multiple marking signs that require marking with the subject's writing instrument; and
The attention function measurement sheet according to claim 2, further comprising an order mark provided between the two marking signs and designating an order of marking on the marking sign. The marking sign has a substantially rectangular shape,
The attention function measurement sheet according to claim 3, wherein the order sign is a connecting line connecting the marking signs. A memory sign
5. The attention function measurement sheet according to claim 2, wherein the attention function measurement sheet is displayed as a pattern or a figure to which a color tone can be imparted, or a combination thereof. The attention function measurement sheet according to claim 3, wherein the marking sign and the memory sign are displayed in a non-superimposed manner. The attention function measurement sheet according to claim 3, wherein the marking mark and the memory mark are displayed partially overlapping each other. The attention function measurement sheet according to claim 3, wherein the marking mark and the memory mark are displayed in combination with each other. Marking marks are arranged in a single line,
The attention function measurement sheet according to claim 3, wherein the memory sign is arranged along the line. The dual task display means is a monitor connected to a computer having at least computing means, recording means, and input / output means,
The attention function measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the answer input means is an input device connected to a computer. The attention function measuring device according to claim 1 or 10, wherein means for selecting a dual task, dual task display means and answer input means are connected in isolation via a communication line. A tracking task indicator that is presented to perform at least a tracking task that requires continuous attention by visual recognition by a dual task display means, and a memory indicator that is presented to cause a memory task that requires a memory task by visual recognition; Are presented to the subject in a form in which at least a portion of them is viewed at the same time,
Let the subject input the answer to the double task by answer input means,
A method for measuring attention function, which comprises measuring a divided attention function of a subject. The dual task display means is composed of a monitor connected to a computer having at least calculation means, recording means, and input / output means,
The answer input means consists of an input device connected to the computer,
The attention function measuring method according to claim 12, wherein the tracking work indicator and the memory indicator are randomly presented by random number processing in a computer. At least one of the tracking work indicator and the memory indicator
A pattern or figure that can be given a color tone, or a combination thereof,
The attention function measuring method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein they can be deformed or moved, discolored or flickered, or a combination thereof. 15. The attention function measurement according to claim 12, wherein the answer obtained from the answer input means is scored and evaluated by a computer, and the next dual task suitable for accurate measurement of the attention function is presented according to the result. Method. Computerized scoring is statistically processed for each subject or for each subject group classified according to subject characteristics,
The attention function measuring method according to claim 15, wherein the characteristics of an individual subject or a subject group are obtained. The attention function learning apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the answer obtained from the answer input means is scored and evaluated, and the next dual task suitable for learning the attention function of the subject is presented according to the result. The attention function learning method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the answer obtained from the answer input means is subjected to scoring evaluation, and the next dual task suitable for the subject's attention function learning is presented according to the result.

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