Visual Fixation Assessment in Patients with Disorders of Consciousness Based on Brain-Computer Interface / 神经科学通报·英文版

Visual fixation is an item in the visual function subscale of the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R). Sometimes clinicians using the behavioral scales find it difficult to detect because of the motor impairment in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOCs). Brain-computer interface (BCI) can be used to improve clinical assessment because it directly detects the brain response to an external stimulus in the absence of behavioral expression. In this study, we designed a BCI system to assist the visual fixation assessment of DOC patients. The results from 15 patients indicated that three showed visual fixation in both CRS-R and BCI assessments and one did not show such behavior in the CRS-R assessment but achieved significant online accuracy in the BCI assessment. The results revealed that electroencephalography-based BCI can detect the brain response for visual fixation. Therefore, the proposed BCI may provide a promising method for assisting behavioral assessment using the CRS-R.

Comparisons in Outcome and Subject Comfort between Rotation Chair Systems

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A rotation chair test has been used to evaluate the function of the horizontal semicircular canals. Currently, two chair systems according to the presence of cylindrical darkroom are used in a clinic setting. However, it has not been thoroughly investigated whether one system is superior to the other system or not. In this study, we aimed to compare test outcomes and subject convenience between two systems. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty subjects with no history of otologic disease were enrolled. Subjects were tested with two systems: system [A] with a cylindrical chamber and system [B] with no chamber. The results of sinusoidal harmonic acceleration (SHA), step velocity (SV), and visual fixation (VFX) tests were compared between the systems. Subject convenience was assessed with a questionnaire survey and results were compared between the systems. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in gain or asymmetry in SHA test between the systems. However, the phase of system [A] was significantly lower than that of system [B] at 0.16 Hz. There was no significant difference between the systems in directional preponderance (DP) gain or DP time constant. Regarding the VFX test, gain was higher in system [A] than system [B]. Subjects reported less stuffiness and less anxiety with system [B] than system [A], while preferring the system [A] goggles. CONCLUSIONS: A rotation chair system without a darkroom can provide a more comfortable experience for subjects in terms of stuffiness and anxiety, while showing comparable results in SHA and SV tests with a darkroom system.

Research and application progress of visual fixation component separation / 中国组织工程研究

10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2013.24.026

Competence in Suppressing the Visual Fixation among Different Types of Frenzel Glasses / 대한평형의학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Several manufacturers supply different types of Frenzel glasses, but the quality of these varied Frenzel glasses seems to be quite different. The aim of this study was to compare the competence in suppressing visual fixation (VF) among different types of Frenzel glasses. The second aim was to develop a new type of Frenzel glasses which is cheaper and more convenient to carry, but has an equivalent competence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four different types of Frenzel glasses were evaluated: 30 diopter Frenzel glasses manufactured by Nagashima (N), 10 diopter Frenzel glasses manufactured by Jungang (J), 13 diopter conventional magnifying glasses (M) and 17 diopter Fresnel lens glasses assembled by the authors. The amplitude of the spontaneous nystagmus (SN) was measured though the electronystagmography system. The SN was measured 35 times from 15 patients who were diagnosed as vestibular neuritis. RESULTS: The mean amplitude of the SN was 8.8+/-3.2degrees/sec when measured with the videonystagmography goggles. When the same SN was measured through the 4 different Frenzel glasses, it was 7.5+/-2.8 (N), 6.3+/-3.0 (F), 6.2+/-3.0 (M), and 5.7+/-2.6 (J)degrees/sec respectively. The amplitude of the SN was significantly bigger when wearing the N glasses compared to the other 3 glasses. The SN was significantly smaller when wearing the J glasses compared to the F glasses. CONCLUSION: The competence of suppressing VF was significantly different among the varied types of glasses. The F glasses seem to have a similar or better competence with the J glasses. F glasses seems to be a fairly good alternative which is very portable and cheap.