Electrical substance clearance from the brain for treatment of alzheimer's disease
First Claim
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1. Apparatus comprising:
- a parenchymal electrode, configured to be implanted in brain parenchyma of a subject identified as at risk of or suffering from Alzheimer'"'"'s disease;
a ventricular electrode, configured to be implanted in a ventricular system of a brain of the subject; and
control circuitry, configured to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear a substance from the brain parenchyma into the ventricular system by applying direct current between the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes with an average amplitude of no more than 5 mA, the substance comprising one or more substances selected from the group of substances consisting of;
amyloid beta, tau protein, and metal ions,wherein the control circuitry is configured to;
apply the direct current as a series of pulses,drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear the substance by applying a voltage between the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes during each of the pulses,measure a current resulting from application of voltage during each of the pulses, andterminate the pulse upon the measured current falling below a threshold value.
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Abstract
Apparatus is provided that includes a parenchymal electrode, configured to be implanted in brain parenchyma of a subject identified as at risk of or suffering from Alzheimer'"'"'s disease; and a ventricular electrode, configured to be implanted in a ventricular system of a brain of the subject. Control circuitry is configured to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear a substance from the brain parenchyma into the ventricular system. Other embodiments are also described.
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22 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising:
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a parenchymal electrode, configured to be implanted in brain parenchyma of a subject identified as at risk of or suffering from Alzheimer'"'"'s disease; a ventricular electrode, configured to be implanted in a ventricular system of a brain of the subject; and control circuitry, configured to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear a substance from the brain parenchyma into the ventricular system by applying direct current between the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes with an average amplitude of no more than 5 mA, the substance comprising one or more substances selected from the group of substances consisting of;
amyloid beta, tau protein, and metal ions,wherein the control circuitry is configured to; apply the direct current as a series of pulses, drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear the substance by applying a voltage between the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes during each of the pulses, measure a current resulting from application of voltage during each of the pulses, and terminate the pulse upon the measured current falling below a threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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implanting a parenchymal electrode in brain parenchyma of a subject identified as at risk of or suffering from Alzheimer'"'"'s disease; implanting a ventricular electrode in a ventricular system of a brain of the subject; and activating control circuitry to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to electrophoretically drive a substance from the brain parenchyma into the ventricular system by applying non-excitatory direct current between the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes with an average amplitude of no more than 5 mA, the substance comprising one or more substances selected from the group of substances consisting of;
amyloid beta, tau protein, and metal ions. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification