Patent ID: 7553834
Filing Date: 2009-06-30
Classification: A61B,G06Q,G16H

Abstract:
1. A method for determining the appropriate medication for a patient suffering from depression, comprising: (i) having a patient take a questionnaire wherein the patient answers questions 1 to 17 as set forth in (ii) processing the patient's answers to arrive at scores for the demodulation and/or deactivation; wherein said processing step is performed via the following steps: wherein I1, I3, I5, I6, I8, I10, I11, I12, I14 and I16 are the scores for the questions 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 16, respectively, as scored in (A) to determine an M score, and wherein an M score of 15 or more indicates severe demodulation, an M score of between 10 to 14 indicates moderate demodulation, an M score of between 5 to 9 indicates mild demodulation, and an M score of 4 or less indicates no significant demodulation; wherein I2, I4, I7, I9, I11, I12, I13, I15 and I17 are the scores for the questions 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, and 17, respectively, as scored in (B) to determine an A score, and wherein an A score of 15 or more indicates severe deactivation, an A score of between 10 to 14 indicates moderate deactivation, an A score of between 5 to 9 indicates mild deactivation, and an A score of 4 or less indicates no significant deactivation; (iii) further using the patient's M score for demodulation and the patient's A score for deactivation to select at least one medication appropriate for the patient which affects the demodulation and/or deactivation using the following criteria: (iv) wherein when the patient is classified as demodulated, the patient is additionally administered an appropriate dosage of the at least one serotonergic antidepressant medication; or wherein when the patient is classified as deactivated, the patient is additionally administered an appropriate dosage of the at least one catecholaminergic antidepressant medication; or wherein when the patient is classified as mixed, the patient is additionally administered an appropriate dosage of either (i) the at least one serotonergic antidepressant medication and the at least one catecholaminergic antidepressant medication, or (ii) the at least one dual mechanism antidepressant medication.