GB2291971A - Biofeedback apparatus for use in therapy - Google Patents
Biofeedback apparatus for use in therapy Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2291971A GB2291971A GB9415356A GB9415356A GB2291971A GB 2291971 A GB2291971 A GB 2291971A GB 9415356 A GB9415356 A GB 9415356A GB 9415356 A GB9415356 A GB 9415356A GB 2291971 A GB2291971 A GB 2291971A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- patient
- display
- parameter
- physiological
- therapy
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 238000002560 therapeutic procedure Methods 0.000 title description 6
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 230000004962 physiological condition Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 230000003304 psychophysiological effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000011282 treatment Methods 0.000 abstract description 9
- 208000002551 irritable bowel syndrome Diseases 0.000 abstract description 4
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 7
- 210000001035 gastrointestinal tract Anatomy 0.000 description 5
- 208000002193 Pain Diseases 0.000 description 4
- 206010000060 Abdominal distension Diseases 0.000 description 2
- 206010061218 Inflammation Diseases 0.000 description 2
- 208000024330 bloating Diseases 0.000 description 2
- 230000004054 inflammatory process Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000012800 visualization Methods 0.000 description 2
- 208000004998 Abdominal Pain Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 206010017999 Gastrointestinal pain Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 206010000059 abdominal discomfort Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 238000009825 accumulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 210000003484 anatomy Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 238000013459 approach Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002596 correlated effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000875 corresponding effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003993 interaction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001788 irregular Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002644 neurohormonal effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000008506 pathogenesis Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000035479 physiological effects, processes and functions Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000006461 physiological response Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002040 relaxant effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 210000002784 stomach Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 208000011580 syndromic disease Diseases 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/16—Devices for psychotechnics; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
- A61B5/165—Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/48—Other medical applications
- A61B5/486—Biofeedback
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/05—Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves
- A61B5/053—Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
- A61B5/0531—Measuring skin impedance
- A61B5/0533—Measuring galvanic skin response
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/16—Devices for psychotechnics; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/42—Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the gastrointestinal, the endocrine or the exocrine systems
- A61B5/4222—Evaluating particular parts, e.g. particular organs
- A61B5/4255—Intestines, colon or appendix
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
- Molecular Biology (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Surgery (AREA)
- Biophysics (AREA)
- Pathology (AREA)
- Biomedical Technology (AREA)
- Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
- Medical Informatics (AREA)
- Psychiatry (AREA)
- Developmental Disabilities (AREA)
- Dermatology (AREA)
- Social Psychology (AREA)
- Psychology (AREA)
- Hospice & Palliative Care (AREA)
- Child & Adolescent Psychology (AREA)
- Educational Technology (AREA)
- Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
- Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
- Radiology & Medical Imaging (AREA)
- Endocrinology (AREA)
- Gastroenterology & Hepatology (AREA)
- Physiology (AREA)
- Electrotherapy Devices (AREA)
Abstract
Biofeedback apparatus is described for use in treating patients with a physiological condition, for example irritable bowel syndrome. In a treatment session, one or more psychophysiological parameters of the patient is sensed and the sensed parameter used to alter a display which the patient watches. The display includes a visual or pictorial representation which changes in appearance in a fashion corresponding to the physiological change desired in the patient.
Description
APPARATUS FOR USE IN THERAPY
This invention relates to apparatus for use in therapy, particularly therapy involving biofeedback techniques.
In recent years, it has become established that physiological conditions may be treated using so-called biofeedback techniques. By measuring an appropriate psychophysiological parameter, for example an electrodermal activity parameter, heartbeat, brainwaves or the like, and displaying that measurement to the subject undergoing treatment or therapy, it becomes possible for the subject, when appropriately trained and motivated, to control his or her psychological and/or physiological functioning or condition so as to influence the parameter being displayed. Substantial success has been reported in a variety of areas, but success is somewhat unpredictable and some patients find the techniques difficult to follow or practice or the apparatus used forbidding. All this does not assist satisfactory therapy.
It has been reported previously that psychotherapeutic treatments are often more effective in terms of improving physiological conditions if the patient undergoing treatment is taught how to visualise in a very pictorial way the physiology or anatomy of the condition in question. This seems to promote a better understanding of the condition and, by means of mechanisms not yet understood, to enhance the treatment process.
According to the present invention, there is provided biofeedback apparatus including means for sensing one or more psychophysiological parameters of the patient, means for altering a display visible to the patient following changes in the parameter(s) and which is characterised in that the display used consists of or includes a visual or pictorial representation which changes in appearance following a change in the parameter sensed in a way corresponding to the physiological change desired in the patient.
Using modern computer graphics and particularly computer animation techniques, supplemented by appropriate programming, it is possible to put the present invention into practice with relatively low outlay.
An example of how the present invention may be put into practice is now described. In this example, the target condition which it is desired to alleviate is the socalled irritable bowel syndrome. The exact causes of this syndrome are not fully known, but it seems in many cases to be stress related. Stress affects the digestive tract via various neurohormonal paths, but the details are not completely understood. The manifestations of irritable bowel syndrome are abdominal discomfort or pain, irregular stool conditions and bloating. The pathogenesis is multi factorial and appears to reflect an interplay of psychological and physiological responses.
Relaxation techniques can assist in moderating those responses and allowing the digestive tract and particularly the bowels to function in a normal manner.
Relaxation is commonly correlated with electrodermal activity parameters, particularly, of a person, and this thus provides a simple means of monitoring relaxation. A pair of electrodes is attached at two spaced apart locations to a person, for example to the palmar surfaces of two adjacent fingers on the same hand, and suitable associated circuitry is connected thereto to enable the electrodermal activity to be measured. The measurement may be reflected in a suitable parameter of a signal sent to a programmed computer which has a display viewable by the patient.
Use may be made of the circuitry techniques disclosed in
International Publication W093/02622.
The electrodermal activity signal constitutes a varying input to the computer programmed to respond to changes in that input. A typical programme will operate under the control both of that parameter, but more importantly also under the control of the programme user. For example, the programme on loading may cause the screen to display a menu giving a variety of options selectable in customary fashion using a mouse, keyboard, keypad or the like. Appropriate options are informational material, text and/or graphics, concerning irritable bowel syndrome, an explanation of the treatment part of the programme and a menu option to select actual treatment.
The treatment part of the programme may consist, for example, of screens prompting the user to identify the type, position and/or severity of the pain they are currently experiencing. Following that, the programme may provide by way of an animated screen a pictorial view as would be seen by a notional traveller through the stomach and down the digestive tract. When the traveller approaches the identified pain site, the pictorial or graphic representation may be such as to indicate e.g.
the accumulation of air bubbles (when the patient suffers from bloating) or a constriction (where the patient suffers bowel spasm).
At this point, the screen display becomes controlled effectively by the degree of relaxation exhibited by the patient. As the patient becomes more relaxed, the bubbles start to be reduced in size or disappear altogether, while if the patient becomes less relaxed, the bubble blockage may appear firmer or more solid on the screen. By concentrating on the screen, and relaxing, the patient may gradually cause the bubbles to appear to vanish or dissolve, so enabling the programme to control the graphic display on the screen to give the user the impression of moving further down the digestive tract and past the site of the (now cleared) bubble blockage.
An alternative visualisation, where the pain is envisaged as internal inflammation, is to colour the walls of the digestive tract at the pain site red, this being gradually changeable to pink as the patient relaxes, whereafter again the graphic display may appear to let the viewer travel past the site of the (new reduced) inflammation.
It is found that graphic visualisation of a person's physiological problems in this anatomical way leads to substantially enhanced rates of successful treatment.
Claims (4)
1. Biofeedback apparatus including means for sensing one or more psychophysiological parameters of a patient, means for altering a display visible to the patient following changes in the parameter(s) and characterised in that the display used consists of or includes a visual or pictorial representation which changes in appearance, following a change in the parameter sensed, in a way corresponding to the physiological change desired in the patient.
2. Biofeedback apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the display is a computer graphics animated display.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2 and including means for sensing electrodermal activity of a patient.
4. Apparatus for treating a physiological condition substantially as hereinbefore described.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9415356A GB2291971B (en) | 1994-07-29 | 1994-07-29 | Apparatus for use in therapy |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9415356A GB2291971B (en) | 1994-07-29 | 1994-07-29 | Apparatus for use in therapy |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9415356D0 GB9415356D0 (en) | 1994-09-21 |
| GB2291971A true GB2291971A (en) | 1996-02-07 |
| GB2291971B GB2291971B (en) | 1998-09-23 |
Family
ID=10759107
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9415356A Expired - Fee Related GB2291971B (en) | 1994-07-29 | 1994-07-29 | Apparatus for use in therapy |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2291971B (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2000072751A1 (en) * | 1999-06-01 | 2000-12-07 | Hanne Storm | Apparatus and method for monitoring skin conductance and method for controlling a warning signal |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4632126A (en) * | 1984-07-11 | 1986-12-30 | Leonard Bloom | Biofeedback method and apparatus |
| GB2186375A (en) * | 1986-02-11 | 1987-08-12 | Graham Keith Lacy | Biofeedback postural monitor |
| US4800893A (en) * | 1987-06-10 | 1989-01-31 | Ross Sidney A | Kinesthetic physical movement feedback display for controlling the nervous system of a living organism |
| WO1993002622A1 (en) * | 1991-08-07 | 1993-02-18 | Software Solutions Limited | Operation of computer systems |
| WO1995002989A1 (en) * | 1993-07-20 | 1995-02-02 | Ultramind International Limited | Video display apparatus |
-
1994
- 1994-07-29 GB GB9415356A patent/GB2291971B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4632126A (en) * | 1984-07-11 | 1986-12-30 | Leonard Bloom | Biofeedback method and apparatus |
| GB2186375A (en) * | 1986-02-11 | 1987-08-12 | Graham Keith Lacy | Biofeedback postural monitor |
| US4800893A (en) * | 1987-06-10 | 1989-01-31 | Ross Sidney A | Kinesthetic physical movement feedback display for controlling the nervous system of a living organism |
| WO1993002622A1 (en) * | 1991-08-07 | 1993-02-18 | Software Solutions Limited | Operation of computer systems |
| WO1995002989A1 (en) * | 1993-07-20 | 1995-02-02 | Ultramind International Limited | Video display apparatus |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2000072751A1 (en) * | 1999-06-01 | 2000-12-07 | Hanne Storm | Apparatus and method for monitoring skin conductance and method for controlling a warning signal |
| US6571124B1 (en) | 1999-06-01 | 2003-05-27 | Hanne Storm | Apparatus and method for monitoring skin conductance and method for controlling a warning signal |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2291971B (en) | 1998-09-23 |
| GB9415356D0 (en) | 1994-09-21 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 732E | Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977) |
Free format text: REGISTERED BETWEEN 20120614 AND 20120620 |
|
| 732E | Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977) |
Free format text: REGISTERED BETWEEN 20120621 AND 20120627 |
|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20130729 |