Test of parietal lobe function and associated methods

A parietal lobe function testing system comprising:

• means for displaying to a subject a first ordered array of objects having a variety of colors, each object having a unitary color;
• means for maintaining a count of errors in the named object colors;
• a timer for timing an interval taken by the subject to complete naming the object colors;
• a set of predetermined color-naming error count and interval data against which to compare the color-naming error count, a color-naming error count and interval greater than the predetermined color-naming error count and interval indicative of a possible parietal lobe function deficiency;
• means for displaying to the subject a second ordered array of objects having a variety of shapes;
• means for maintaining a count of errors in the named object shapes;
• a timer for timing an interval taken by the subject to complete naming the object shapes;
• and
• a set of predetermined shape-naming error count and interval data against which to compare the shape-naming error count and interval, a shape-naming error count and interval greater than the predetermined shape-naming error count and interval indicative of a possible parietal lobe function deficiency.

A parietal lobe function test delivery and analysis system comprising:

• a processor;
• a timing device, a display device, and an input device, all in signal communication with the processor;
• a database accessible by the processor containing a set of predetermined standard data;
• software means resident on the processor adapted to:
• effect a display to a subject on the display device a first ordered array of objects having a variety of colors, each object having a unitary color;
• receive from an examiner via the input device a count of errors in the named object colors;
• access the timer for timing an interval taken by the subject to complete naming the object colors;
• for a set
• access the database for a set of predetermined color-naming error count and interval data;
• making a first comparison of the color-naming error count and interval with the predetermined color-naming error count and interval data, a color-naming error count and interval greater than the predetermined color-naming error count and interval indicative of a possible parietal lobe function deficiency;
• effect a display to the subject on the display device a second ordered array of objects having a variety of shapes;
• receive from the examiner via the input device a count of errors in the named object shapes;
• access the timer for timing an interval taken by the subject to complete naming the object shapes;
• access the database for a set of predetermined shape-naming error count and interval data;
• making a second comparison of the shape-naming error count and interval against the predetermined shape-naming error count and interval data, a shape-naming error count and interval greater than the predetermined shape-naming error count and interval indicative of a possible parietal lobe function deficiency;
• and
• output to the examiner a result of the first and the second comparison.

An automated parietal lobe function test delivery and analysis system comprising:

• a processor;
• a timing device, a display device, and an input device, all in signal communication with the processor;
• a database accessible by the processor containing a set of predetermined standard data;
• software means resident on the processor adapted to:
• effect a display to a subject on the display device a first ordered array of objects having a variety of colors, each object having a unitary color;
• receive from an examiner via the input device a count of errors in the named object colors;
• access the timer for timing an interval taken by the subject to complete naming the object colors;
• for a set
• access the database for a set of predetermined color-naming error count and interval data;
• making a first comparison of the color-naming error count and interval with the predetermined color-naming error count and interval data, a color-naming error count and interval greater than the predetermined color-naming error count and interval indicative of a possible parietal lobe function deficiency;
• effect a display to the subject on the display device a second ordered array of objects having a variety of shapes;
• receive from the examiner via the input device a count of errors in the named object shapes;
• access the timer for timing an interval taken by the subject to complete naming the object shapes;
• access the database for a set of predetermined shape-naming error count and interval data;
• making a second comparison of the shape-naming error count and interval against the predetermined shape-naming error count and interval data, a shape-naming error count and interval greater than the predetermined shape-naming error count and interval indicative of a possible parietal lobe function deficiency;
• and
• output to the examiner a result of the first and the second comparison.

A method for testing parietal lobe function in a subject, the method comprising the steps of:

• displaying to a subject a first ordered array of objects, each object having a feature within a first unitary dimension;
• prompting the subject to name the feature of each object of the first array sequentially in order;
• displaying to the subject a second ordered array of objects, each object having a feature within a second unitary dimension distinct from the first unitary dimension;
• prompting the subject to name the feature of each object of the second array sequentially in order;
• displaying to the subject a third ordered array of objects, each object having two features, one feature within each of the first and the second unitary dimension;
• prompting the subject to name the features of each object of the third array sequentially in order;
• timing an interval taken by the subject to complete naming the third array object features;
• and
• comparing the interval with a predetermined interval, an interval greater than the predetermined interval indicative of a possible parietal lobe function deficiency.

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a software program for testing parietal lobe function in a subject, the software program comprising:

• a code segment for displaying to a subject a first ordered array of objects having a variety of colors, each object having a unitary color;
• a code segment for prompting the subject to name the object colors sequentially in order;
• a code segment for comparing the named object colors with the correct object colors;
• a code segment for maintaining a count of errors in the named object colors;
• a code segment for timing an interval taken by the subject to complete naming the object colors;
• a code segment for comparing the color-naming error count and interval with a predetermined color-naming error count and interval, a color-naming error count and interval greater than the predetermined color-naming error count and interval indicative of a possible parietal lobe function deficiency;
• a code segment for displaying to the subject a second ordered array of objects having a variety of shapes;
• a code segment for prompting the subject to name the object shapes sequentially in order;
• a code segment for comparing the named object shapes with the correct object shapes;
• a code segment for maintaining a count of errors in the named object shapes;
• a code segment for timing an interval taken by the subject to complete naming the object shapes;
• and
• a code segment for comparing the shape-naming error count and interval with a predetermined shape-naming error count and interval, a shape-naming error count and interval greater than the predetermined shape-naming error count and interval indicative of a possible parietal lobe function deficiency.