US 6,663,571 B1 · Transcranial doppler ultrasound device for odor evaluation

Abstract

The present invention is related to cerebral blood flow velocity monitoring method and system, specifically a transcranial Doppler device for odor matching and odor selection in canine and human subjects. The method and system is non-invasive with high temporal resolution, user-friendly and portable, including steps of obtaining a subject's baseline mean blood flow velocity in cerebral arteries using transcranial Doppler instrument with sample volume focused on cerebral vessels on both sides using two probes placed on the temples and calculating laterality index for both arteries. Simultaneously, testing the subject with odors while monitoring mean blood flow velocity during each odor in real-time. The acquired data is processed using an operatively attached microprocessor and using a cellular telephone to communicate the results to a computer workstation for further data analysis and storage.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A noninvasive method to determine the cerebral blood flow velocity response to odors by a human subject, including, steps of:

(a) obtaining a subject's baseline cerebral blood flow velocity in cerebral arteries on both sides of the brain using a transcranial Doppler ultrasound instrument with two probes placed on the temples and sample volumes focused on cerebral vessels on both sides;
(b) simultaneously with (a) obtaining the mean blood flow velocity in both pairs of cerebral arteries at baseline;
(c) testing the subject with odor tasks while simultaneously monitoring the mean blood flow velocity during each task in real-time;
(d) determining the response of the brain using mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a target odor:
(e) determining the response of the brain using side-to-side differences in mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a target odor;
(f) determining the response of the brain using side-to-side differences in mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a given odor;
(g) simultaneously with (f) determining if there is a match of the response of the brain using side-to-side differences in mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a given odor compared to the response evoked by target odor;
and
(h) simultaneously with (g) assessing if by varying the intensity of the given odor the match in response to target odor could be enhanced.

6 more elements

A noninvasive method to determine the cerebral blood flow velocity response to odor tasks of a canine subject, including steps of

(a) obtaining a subject's baseline cerebral blood flow velocity in cerebral arteries on both sides of the brain using a transcranial Doppler ultrasound instrument with two probes placed on the temples and sample volumes focused on cerebral vessels on both sides;
(b) simultaneously with (a) obtaining the mean blood flow velocity in both pairs of cerebral arteries at baseline;
(c) testing the subject with odor tasks while simultaneously monitoring the mean blood flow velocity during each task in real-time;
(d) determining the response of the brain using mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a target odor;
(e) determining the response of the brain using side-to-side differences in mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a target odor;
(f) determining the response of the brain using side-to-side differences in mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a given odor;
(g) determining the response of the brain using side-to-side differences in mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a given odor component;
(h) simultaneously with (g) determining if there is a match of the response of the brain using side-to-side differences in mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a given odor compared to the response evoked by target odor;
(i) simultaneously with (h) assessing if varying the intensity of the given odor evokes a brain response similar to that during target odor;
(j) determining the response of the brain using the laterality index calculated from mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a target odor;
(k) simultaneously with (i) determining the latency and peak variations of as laterality index during each odor task;
(l) determining the response of the brain using the latency and peak variations of laterality index calculated from mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a target odor;
(m) simultaneously with (l) determining if there is a match of the response of the brain using the latency and peak variations of laterality index calculated from mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a given odor as compared to the response evoked by target odor;
and
(n) simultaneously with (m) assessing if by varying the intensity of the given odor the match in response to target odor could be enhanced.

12 more elements

A noninvasive method and system to determine the cerebral blood flow velocity response to odor tasks of a subject, including steps of:

(a) obtaining a subject's baseline cerebral blood flow velocity in cerebral arteries on both sides of the brain using a transcranial Doppler ultrasound instrument with two probes placed on the temples and sample volumes focused on cerebral vessels on both sides;
(b) simultaneously with (a) obtaining the mean blood flow velocity in both pairs of cerebral arteries at baseline,
(c) testing the subject with odor tasks while simultaneously monitoring the mean blood flow velocity during each task in real-time;
(d) determining the response of the brain using mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a target odor;
(e) determining the response of the brain using side-to-side differences in mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a target odor;
(f) determining the response of the brain using side-to-side differences in mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a given odor;
(g) determining the response of the brain using side-to-side differences in mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a given odor component;
(h) simultaneously with (g) determining if there is a match of the response of the brain using side-to-side differences in mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a given odor compared to the response evoked by target odor;
(i) simultaneously with (h) assessing if by varying the intensity of the given odor the match in response to target odor could be enhanced;
(j) determining the response of the brain using the laterality index calculated firm mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a target odor;
(k) simultaneously with (j) determining the latency and peak variations of laterality index during a given odor task;
(l) determining the response of the brain using the latency and peak variations of laterality index calculated from mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a target odor;
(m) determining the response of the brain using the latency and peak variations of laterality index calculated from mean cerebral blood flow velocity to a battery of odor tasks;
(n) simultaneously with (m) determining the hedonic rating for each odor;
(o) simultaneously with (n) determining if the response of the brain using the latency and blood flow velocity differentiate the odors according to hedonic ratings;
and
(p) simultaneously with (o) assessing the odors with high hedonic ratios.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Transcranial doppler ultrasound device for odor evaluation

Life of this patent

Transcranial doppler ultrasound device for odor evaluation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20