Patent ID: 6354298
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: G06N

Abstract:
A method for testing the effects of drugs or treatment on a biological memory system of a subject, comprising monitoring the subject's neural function to determine whether the drug or treatment improves or impairs the ability of a subject to store or retrieve sequential memories, comprising the steps of:i) administering the drug or treatment to the subject; ii) generating sequential activity in the neural system of said subject with an electrical stimulation electrode or other recognized method of inducing neural activity at a predetermined frequency or temporal pattern; iii) monitoring whether the frequency or temporal pattern is faithfully transmitted; iv) monitoring whether the neural activity generated at multiple recording electrodes show a consistent sequence on successive stimulation pulses or trains of pulses; v) determining efficacy of the drug or treatment by comparing the faithfulness of the transmitted frequency or temporal pattern obtained for the individual before and after the administration of the drug or treatment; and vi) determining efficacy of the drug or treatment by comparing the sequence of neural activity generated at multiple recording electrodes by successive stimulation pulses or trains of pulses before and after the administration of the drug or treatment.