Device and method for calibrating a non-invasive mechanically tactile and/or thermal neurostimulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018020972-A1
Application number	US-201615548243-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 4, 2016
Priority date	Feb 9, 2015
Publication date	Jan 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device for stimulating neurons that includes a stimulation unit that applies mechanically tactile and/or thermal stimuli to the body surface of a patient that stimulate neurons with a pathologically synchronous and oscillatory neural activity. The device includes a measuring unit that records measurement signals of neural activity of the stimulated neurons, and a controller that controls the stimulation unit and analyzes the measurement signals. The controller actuates the stimulation unit to scan at least one part of the body surface of the patient along a path and thereby periodically applies stimuli and also selects two regions or more regions on the patient's body surface along the path where the phase synchronization between the periodic application of the stimuli and the neural activity of the stimulated neurons have a local maximum using the measurement signals. The stimuli are then applied in a delayed manner in the two regions.

First claim

1 - 17 . (canceled)

18 . An apparatus for stimulating neurons, the apparatus comprising:
a non-invasive stimulation unit configured to apply at least one of a mechanically tactile and a thermal stimuli to a surface of a body of a patient, wherein the stimuli is applied to stimulate neurons having a pathologically synchronous and oscillatory neuronal activity; a measuring unit configured to record measured signals that reproduce a neuronal activity of the stimulated neurons; and a control and analysis unit configured to control the stimulation unit and to analyze the measured signals, wherein the control and analysis unit is further configured to:
control the stimulation unit to scan at least a part of the surface of the body of the patient along a path and to periodically apply the stimuli during the scan;
select at least two regions on the surface of the body of the patient along the path based on the measured signals recorded in response to the periodic application of the stimuli, with a phase synchronization between the periodic application of the stimuli and the neuronal activity of the stimulated neurons respectively having a local maximum in the selected at least two regions; and
control the stimulation unit to apply the stimuli in a time-offset manner in the at least two selected regions, such that the stimuli are configured to effect a phase reset of the neuronal activity of the stimulated neurons.

19 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 18 , wherein the control and analysis unit is further configured to determine based on the measured signals recorded in response to the stimuli applied in the time-offset manner whether the stimuli applied reduces the pathologically synchronous and oscillatory activity of the stimulated neurons.

20 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 18 , wherein the at least two regions selected by the control and analysis unit based on the periodic application of the stimuli comprise a first region and a second region, and wherein the control and analysis unit is further configured to displace the second region on the surface of the body of the patient if the control and analysis unit determines based on the measured signals recorded in response to the stimuli applied in the time-offset manner that the stimuli applied in the time-offset manner have not reduced the pathologically synchronous and oscillatory activity of the stimulated neurons.

21 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 21 , wherein the control and analysis unit is further configured to displace the second region on the surface of the body of the patient until the control and analysis unit determines based on the measured signals recorded in response to the stimuli applied in the time-offset manner that the stimuli applied have reduced the pathologically synchronous and oscillatory activity of the stimulated neurons.

22 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 21 , wherein the control and analysis unit is further configured to select a third region on the surface of the body of the patient after the application of the time-offset stimuli in the first and second regions and to control the stimulation unit to apply the stimuli in the time-offset manner in the second region and in the third region, and not in the first region, where the applied stimuli are configured to effect a phase reset of the neuronal activity of the stimulated neurons.

23 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 22 , wherein the control and analysis unit is further configured to displace the third region on the surface of the body of the patient when the control and analysis unit determines based on the measured signals recorded in response to the stimuli applied in the time-offset manner in the second and third regions that the stimuli applied has not reduced the pathologically synchronous and oscillatory activity of the stimulated neurons.

24 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 22 , wherein the control and analysis unit is further configured to select one or more additional regions on the surface of the body of the patient after the application of the time-offset stimuli in the second and third regions and to control the stimulation unit to apply the stimuli in the time-offset manner in two of the selected additional regions, and not in other regions, where the stimuli is configured to effect a phase reset of the neuronal activity of the stimulated neurons.

25 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the control and analysis unit is further configured to select a third region on the surface of the body of the patient after the application of the time-offset stimuli in the first and second regions and to control the stimulation unit to apply stimuli in the time-offset manner in the first region, in the second region and in the third region, where the stimuli is configured to effect a phase reset of the neuronal activity of the stimulated neurons.

26 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 25 , wherein the control and analysis unit is further configured to displace the third region on the surface of the body of the patient when the control and analysis unit determines based on the measured signals recorded in response to the stimuli applied in the time-offset manner in the first, second and third regions that the stimuli applied has not reduce the pathologically synchronous and oscillatory activity of the stimulated neurons.

27 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 25 , wherein the control and analysis unit is further configured to select one or more additional regions on the surface of the body of the patient after the application of the time-offset stimuli in the first, second and third regions and to control the stimulation unit to apply the stimuli in the time-offset manner in the first region, in the second region, in the third region, and in the one or more additional selected regions, the stimuli being configured to effect a phase reset of the neuronal activity of the stimulated neurons.

28 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 18 , wherein the stimulation unit comprises a plurality of stimulation elements that are arranged in an array and each configured to generate the at least one of mechanically tactile and thermal stimuli.

29 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 28 , further comprising an activation group that includes a portion of the plurality of stimulation elements that are located at least partly within a specific shape that can be mapped on the array, with the shape moving over the array on a movement of the activation group and the stimulation elements included in the activation group changing accordingly.

30 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 29 , wherein when the stimulation unit scans at least a part of the surface of the body of the patient, the activation group is configured to migrate along the path over the array and the stimulation elements included in the activation group generate the periodic stimuli.

31 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 28 , wherein the stimulation elements arranged in the array are fastened to a cuff that is configured to be fixed to the body of the patient.

32 . The apparatus in accordance with claim 29 , further comprising an input unit configured to receive an input from a user indicating at least one of the shape of the activation group and the path along which the activation group migrates.

33 . A method for the stimulation of neurons, the method comprising:
applying, by a non-invasive stimulation unit, at least one of a mechanically tactile and thermal stimuli to a surface of a body of a patient, wherein the ap

Assignees

• Forschungszentrum Juelich Gmbh

Inventors

• Tass Peter Alexander

Classifications

• A61H2201/5043

  Displays · CPC title

• A61B5/4836 Primary

  Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods (A61B5/0036 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61H2230/08

  Other bio-electrical signals · CPC title

• A61H2201/165

  Wearable interfaces · CPC title

• A61F7/00

  Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body (hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N) · CPC title