A basic study for Alzheimer dementia treating system by adaptive stimulation with visual biofeedback

Abstract

Light reflex and oculogyration analyzing system is proposed in order to diagnose the Alzheimer type dementia (DAT) objectively. 19 patients are studied, which shows that the maximum miosis-ratio and miotic velocity are sensitive parameters to evaluate the severity of dementia and the changing time of internal and external rectus eye muscles is the effective index for screening of the dementia. The threshold of the changing time over 0.35 second can discriminate DAT clearly from the normal. For the rehabilitation of DAT, TENS on acute point BL-1 is used as peripheral nerve stimulation. At the same time the visual images of pupils are presented to the patients as biofeedback signals. The complex biofeedback shows improvement in MMSE, ADL score and the eye reflex parameters. The result is rather encouraging with the effect of 50%, so we hope that our proposed complex treating method might become a safe and self-curing system even in patients' homes. It may be a safe non-pharmacological treatment of the dementia.