Systems, apparatuses, and methods for memory recall and reactivation by targeted stimulation

• US 10,417,923 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2015
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lotus Magnus, LLC
• Original Assignee: Lotus Magnus, LLC
• Inventors: Walter, Timothy J., Marar, Uma
• Primary Examiner(s): Hillery, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US14/985,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20170193831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00571 for achieving a particular surgical effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/378 Visual stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0016 by the smell sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0022 by the tactile sense, e.g. vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 : Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 : for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 : User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/10 : Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/18 : Rapid eye-movements [REM]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/60 : Muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/006 : for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0653 : Organic light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 : Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 : with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 : with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for memory recall and reactivation by targeted stimulation are provided. Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for providing patterns of a reinforcing cue re-presentation during sleep. Systems, apparatuses, and methods are also described for determining patterns of a reinforcing cue for re-presentation during sleep. Systems, apparatuses, and methods are also described for determining reinforcing cues for re-presentation during sleep. Systems, apparatuses, and methods are also described for determining and predicting sleep intervals based only on sleep onset.

Claims

1. A method for providing patterns of a reinforcing cue re-presentation during sleep, comprising:

receiving an indication of a learning category that a subject has begun to learn by a control apparatus;

monitoring sleep intervals of the subject while the subject is asleep by a monitoring apparatus;

determining that the subject is in a specific sleep interval by the control apparatus;

providing by a stimulation apparatus the reinforcing cue for the learning category to the subject according to one or more patterns during the specific sleep interval based on the subject being in the specific sleep interval;

receiving by the control apparatus an indication of accuracy of post-sleep recall of the subject for material of the learning category subsequent to the specific sleep interval; and

determining by the control apparatus a different pattern for the reinforcing cue to be delivered to the subject during a subsequent sleep interval after the receiving of the indication, the different pattern being determined based on the indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more patterns comprise at least two patterns that overlap in one or more of application, location, and duration;

or

further comprising;

providing by the stimulation apparatus another reinforcing cue for the learning category to the subject according to one or more additional patterns during the specific sleep interval based on the subject being in the specific sleep interval, wherein the one or more patterns and the one or more additional patterns overlap in one or more of application, location, and duration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more patterns comprise a variation in at least one of frequency, intensity, volume, order, duration, repetition, or timing of the reinforcing cue.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the reinforcing cue was previously provided to the subject during wakefulness of the subject preceding the subject being asleep and while the subject was learning the material of the learning category.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising at least one of:

the learning category being motor skills, and the specific sleep interval being one or more of slow wave sleep and stage II sleep;

the learning category being creative thought, and the specific sleep interval being rapid eye movement (REM) sleep;

or

the learning category being facts, and the specific sleep interval being slow wave sleep.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific sleep interval comprises one or more of stage I sleep, stage II sleep, slow wave sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, a sleep cycle, a progression of sleep stages within a sleep cycle, or a progression of sleep cycles throughout a sleep period.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the sleep interval is performed by the monitoring apparatus according to one or more of electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), electro-oculography (EOG), motion sensing, eye movement, breathing, skin temperature, pulse rate, pulse rate symmetry, or pulse rate variability of the subject.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the control apparatus is a smartphone or a wearable electronic device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

providing by the stimulation apparatus the reinforcing cue to the subject during the subsequent sleep interval according to the second pattern;

or

testing the post-sleep recall of the subject for the material to determine the indication of accuracy.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

automatically providing by the stimulation apparatus the reinforcing cue according to the second pattern to the subject during at least a further subsequent sleep interval.

11. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining by the control apparatus another reinforcing cue to be delivered to the subject during a later specific sleep interval subsequent to the receiving of the indication, the other reinforcing cue being based on the indication.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the reinforcing cue is at least one of a first visual stimulation, a first somatosensory stimulation, or a first auditory stimulation;

and

wherein the other reinforcing cue is one or more of;

at least one of a second visual stimulation, a second somatosensory stimulation, or a second auditory stimulation that is different from the reinforcing cue, the other reinforcing cue determined by the control apparatus to be different from the first reinforcing cue based on the indication indicating an accuracy below a threshold accuracy level;

or

at least one of a second visual stimulation, a second somatosensory stimulation, or a second auditory stimulation that is approximately the same as the reinforcing cue, the other reinforcing cue determined by the control apparatus to be approximately the same as the first reinforcing cue based on the indication indicating an accuracy above the threshold accuracy level.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing by the stimulation apparatus the other reinforcing cue to the subject during the later specific sleep interval and during at least an additional specific sleep interval subsequent to the later specific sleep interval.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the reinforcing cue is selected by the subject, the method further comprising at least one of:

automatically providing by the stimulation apparatus the other reinforcing cue to the subject during at least a first sleep interval subsequent to the later specific sleep interval for additional material of the learning category to be learned by the subject, or

automatically providing by the stimulation apparatus an additional reinforcing cue to the subject during at least a first sleep interval subsequent to the later specific sleep interval for the material of the learning category, the additional reinforcing cue being similar in at least one predefined criterion to the other reinforcing cue;

or

wherein the reinforcing cue is a primary reinforcing cue, the method further comprising;

providing by the stimulation apparatus a first secondary reinforcing cue to the subject during learning wakefulness and then during the specific sleep interval for the material, and

determining by the controller apparatus a second secondary reinforcing cue to be delivered to the subject during a future sleep interval subsequent to the receiving of the indication, the second secondary reinforcing cue being based on the indication.

15. A system for providing patterns of a reinforcing cue re-presentation during sleep, comprising:

a monitoring apparatus configured to monitor sleep intervals of a subject while the subject is asleep;

a control apparatus configured to;

receive an indication of a learning category that a subject has begun to learn; and

determine that the subject is in a specific sleep interval; and

a stimulation apparatus configured to provide the reinforcing cue for the learning category to the subject according to one or more patterns during the specific sleep interval based on the subject being in the specific sleep interval;

the control apparatus further configured to;

receive an indication of accuracy of post-sleep recall of the subject for material of the learning category subsequent to the specific sleep interval; and

determine a different pattern for the reinforcing cue to be delivered to the subject during a subsequent sleep interval after the receiving of the indication, the different pattern being determined based on the indication.

16. The system of claim 15, including at least one of:

wherein the one or more patterns comprise at least two patterns that overlap in one or more of application, location, and duration;

wherein the stimulation apparatus is configured to provide another reinforcing cue for the learning category to the subject according to one or more additional patterns during the specific sleep interval based on the subject being in the specific sleep interval, wherein the one or more patterns and the one or more additional patterns overlap in one or more of application, location, and duration;

or

wherein the one or more patterns comprise a variation in at least one of frequency, intensity, volume, order, duration, repetition, or timing of the reinforcing cue.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the reinforcing cue was previously provided to the subject during wakefulness of the subject preceding the subject being asleep and while the subject was learning the material of the learning category.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the learning category is motor skills, and the specific sleep interval is one or more of slow wave sleep or stage II sleep;

wherein the learning category is creative thought, and the specific sleep interval is rapid eye movement (REM) sleep;

or

wherein the learning category is facts, and the specific sleep interval is slow wave sleep.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the specific sleep interval comprises one or more of stage I sleep, stage II sleep, slow wave sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, a sleep cycle, a progression of sleep stages within a sleep cycle, or a progression of sleep cycles throughout a sleep period;

or

wherein monitoring the sleep interval is performed by the monitoring apparatus according to one or more of electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), electro-oculography (EOG), motion sensing, eye movement, breathing, skin temperature, pulse rate, pulse rate symmetry, or pulse rate variability of the subject.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the control apparatus is a smartphone or a wearable electronic device.

21. A computer-readable storage medium having program instructions recorded thereon that, when executed by a processing device, perform a method for providing patterns of a reinforcing cue re-presentation during sleep, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a learning category that a subject has begun to learn by a control apparatus;

monitoring sleep intervals of the subject while the subject is asleep by a monitoring apparatus;

determining that the subject is in a specific sleep interval by the control apparatus;

providing by a stimulation apparatus the reinforcing cue for the learning category to the subject according to one or more patterns during the specific sleep interval based on the subject being in the specific sleep interval, the one or more patterns comprising a variation in at least one of frequency, intensity, volume, order, duration, repetition, or timing of the reinforcing cue, and the reinforcing cue having been previously provided to the subject during wakefulness of the subject preceding the subject being asleep and while the subject was learning material of the learning category;

receiving by the control apparatus an indication of accuracy of post-sleep recall of the subject for the material subsequent to the specific sleep interval; and

determining by the control apparatus another reinforcing cue to be delivered to the subject during a later specific sleep interval subsequent to the receiving of the indication, the other reinforcing cue being based on the indication.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:

determining by the control apparatus a different pattern for the reinforcing cue to be delivered to the subject during a subsequent sleep interval after the receiving of the indication, the different pattern being determined based on the indication.