Methods for selective activation of central thalamus fibers in a subject and systems therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12507930-B2
Application number	US-202117913552-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2021
Priority date	Mar 23, 2020
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

A method for selective activation of central thalamus fibers in a subject is disclosed. The method involves providing one or more electrodes each with one or more contacts. The one or more electrodes are positioned in the subject's central thalamus fibers. An electrical stimulus is applied to the positioned one or more electrodes to selectively activate the central thalamus fibers of the subject. The positioning and applying are carried out to maximize central lateral nucleus and medial dorsal tegmental tract fiber pathway activation in the subject and to minimize central median parafascicularis fiber pathway activation in the subject. Methods, devices, and computer readable media for surgical planning involving selective activation of central thalamus fibers in a subject are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for selective activation of central thalamus fibers in a subject, said method comprising:
providing one or more electrodes each with one or more contacts; positioning the one or more electrodes in the subject's central thalamus fibers; and applying an electrical stimulus to the positioned one or more electrodes to selectively activate the central thalamus fibers of the subject, wherein said positioning and said applying are carried out to maximize central lateral nucleus and medial dorsal tegmental tract fiber pathway activation in the subject and to minimize central median parafascicularis fiber pathway activation in the subject.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of electrodes are provided and each of the plurality of electrodes has a plurality of spaced contacts.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein 75% to 100% of the medial dorsal tegmental tract fibers in the central thalamus of the subject are stimulated in carrying out said method and less than 25% of the central medial parafascicularis fibers in the central thalamus of the subject are stimulated in carrying out said method.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein 90% to 100% of the medial dorsal tegmental tract fibers in the central thalamus of the subject are stimulated in carrying out said method and less than 10% of the central medial parafascicularis fibers in the central thalamus of the subject are stimulated in carrying out said method.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said applying an electrical stimulus is carried out at 0.1 to 25.0 milliamps or 0.1 to 10.5 volts, selected independently for each of the one or more electrodes using continuous, intermittent or periodic stimulation.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said applying an electrical stimulus is ramped up or down at different rates of speed.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said applying an electrical stimulus is carried out at one or more frequencies of from 1 Hz to 10 kHz using voltage wave trains having a monophasic or biphasic sine, square, spike, rectangular, triangular or ramp configuration.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said applying an electrical stimulus is carried out using one or more stimulation programs that are capable of being interleaved in time.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing at least one sensor in communication with the subject's brain; determining a state of neuronal activity in the subject's brain based on data from said at least one sensor; and adjusting said applied electrical stimulus based on the determined state of neuronal activity in the subject's brain.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
imaging the subject's brain; segmenting the central thalamus of the subject's imaged brain to produce a segmented brain model; identifying electrode positions and electrical stimulation conditions within the segmented brain model that will maximize central lateral nucleus and medial dorsal tegmental tract fiber pathway activation in the subject and minimize central medial parafascicularis fiber pathway activation in the subject; and producing a stimulation map based on said identifying, wherein said stimulation map is used to carry out said positioning and said applying.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the subject, wherein the subject has impaired arousal regulation characterized by brain injury, a neurological degenerative disease, epilepsy, a movement disorder, a post-encephalitis cognitive impairment, a developmental disorder, a post hypoxic-ischemic injury cognitive impairment, or a neuropsychiatric disorder.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
segmenting the central thalamus in an image of a subject's brain to produce a segmented brain model; modelling one or more fiber pathways in the segmented brain model; generating initial model electrode positions in the segmented brain model; and producing a stimulation map based on said modelling and generating, wherein said stimulation map is used to carry out said positioning and said applying.

Assignees

• Univ Cornell
• The Univ Of Utah

Inventors

• Schiff Nicholas
• Baker Jonathan
• Purpura Keith
• Janson Andrew
• Butson Christopher

Classifications

• A61B5/4064

  Evaluating the brain (for intracranial pressure A61B5/031; for cerebral blood gases A61B5/14553; using EEG A61B5/369) · CPC title

• A61N1/37247

  User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means · CPC title

• A61N1/36135

  using physiological parameters · CPC title

• A61N1/36157

  Current (A61N1/3616 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61N1/36153

  Voltage (A61N1/3616 takes precedence) · CPC title