Method of brain activation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10004657-B2
Application number	US-32256209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2009
Priority date	Feb 8, 2008
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

A method of activating the brain of a subject by delivering at least one gas pulse or fluid pulse of a predetermined amplitude and duration to a predetermined area or areas on the subject's body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of activating the brain of a subject comprising:
delivering a train of fluid air pulses of a predetermined frequency and duration at a pressure between 25 mmHg and 250 mmHg with an oral device to one or more predetermined areas on the subject's body selected from the group consisting of a peri-tonsillar area, tongue, mouth, oral cavity, oropharynx, nasal cavities, pharynx and neck of the subject;
eliciting swallowing by the subject in response to the delivering of the train of fluid air pulses; and
activating a brain of the subject directly in response to the delivering of the train of fluid air pulses, or the swallowing that was elicited in response to the delivery of the train of fluid air pulses.

2. A method of activating the brain as claimed in claim 1 wherein the delivering the train of fluid air pulses comprises delivering the train of fluid air pulses for a predetermined period of time.

3. A method of activating the brain as claimed in claim 2 wherein the delivering the train of fluid air pulses for the predetermined period of time is a session and further including delivering a predetermined number of sessions.

4. A method of activating the brain as claimed in claim 2 wherein the predetermined period of time has a duration of less than or equal to 20 seconds.

5. A method of activating the brain as claimed in claim 1 wherein the predetermined frequency is between 0.5 and 30 Hertz.

6. A method of activating the brain as claimed in claim 1 wherein the delivering the train of fluid air pulses is used for one or more of testing purposes, diagnosing purposes, monitoring purposes and therapeutic purposes.

7. A method of rehabilitating oral sensory motor functions by activating the brain according to the method of claim 1 .

8. A method of rehabilitating oral sensory motor functions as claimed in claim 7 wherein the oral sensory motor function is selected from the group consisting of swallowing, salivating, masticating, speech, and producing reflexive and/or voluntary oral movements or oropharyngeal movements or laryngeal movements.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the oral device comprises a dental splint.

Assignees

• Martin Ruth E
• Soros Peter
• Univ Western Ontario

Inventors

• Martin Ruth E
• Soros Peter

Classifications

• A61B5/4076

  Diagnosing or monitoring particular conditions of the nervous system · CPC title

• A61H9/0007

  Pulsating · CPC title

• A61B5/4205

  Evaluating swallowing · CPC title

• A61H13/00

  Gum massage · CPC title

• A61H9/0071 Primary

  by localized pressure, e.g. air streams or jets · CPC title