Device for modulation of neuronal activity in the brain by means of sensory stimulation and detection of brain activity

• US 20060047324A1
• Filed: 07/05/2003
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Forschungszentrum Jã¼Lich GmbH (Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
• Original Assignee: Forschungszentrum Jã¼Lich GmbH (Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
• Inventors: Tass, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/375 using biofeedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/377 using evoked responses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/378 Visual stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/38 Acoustic or auditory stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4064 Evaluating the brain A61B5/031, A61B5/369, A61B5/14553 take precedence
• 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 2230/10 Electroencephalographic signals

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for controlled modulation of physiological and pathological neuronal rhythmic activity in the brain by means of sensory stimulation, which is capable of diagnostically ascertaining functional disorders in the brain and of alleviating or eliminating the symptoms of a functional disruption. According to the invention, the device comprises a control unit (4), a stimulator (1) and at least one means for detecting brain activity, said means being connected to the control unit (1).

Claims

1. A device for need-controlled modulation of physiological and/or pathological neuronal rhythmic activity, comprising a control unit (4), a stimulator (1) and at least one means for detecting brain activity (2) which is connected with the control unit (4).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the stimulator (1) is at least one component from the group comprising a display screen, a pair of shutter-equipped eyeglasses, a loud speaker, headphones, a pressure generator and a time-modulated laser.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for detecting brain activity is at least one component from the group comprised of a scalp EEG electrode or a MEG electrode.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for detecting brain activity is connected with the control unit (4) by an isolating amplifier (3).

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a means for feedback of a patient reaction (5) which is connected to the control unit (4).

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for evoking a maximum physiological and/or pathological brain activity.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises means for carrying out a frequency scan.

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for quantifying the neuronal activity.

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that the means for quantifying the neuronal activity is a means for quantifying the amplitude of the power spectrum over the excitation frequency range or a means for quantifying the instantaneous amplitude of the frequency range as determined by the Hilbert transformation.

10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit (4) is joined with a means for actuating the stimulator (1).

11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes means for investigating the signals measured by the sensor (2).

12. The device according to claim 11 wherein the means for investigating the signals measured by the sensor (2) carries out a Fourier transformation or a wavelet analysis.

14. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for carrying out an entrainment.

15. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for desynchronization.

16. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for testing the quality of the entrainment.

17. The device according to claim 16, characterized in that the means for testing the quality of the entrainment comprises a means for determining the phase or the phase and the amplitude of the neuronal rhythm to be desynchronized.

18. The device according to claim 17, characterized in that the means for determining the phase and amplitude of the neuronal rhythm to be desynchronized carries out a Hilbert transformation or a matching of the signals of the neuronal rhythm with a slowly changing sine function in a sliding time window.

19. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for evaluating the phase and amplitude of the neuronal activity.

20. The device according to claim 19, characterized in that the means for evaluating the phase and amplitude of the neuronal rhythm contains a means for calculating phase resetting curves.

21. The device according to claim 20, characterized in that it comprises means for visualization (6) of the phase resetting curves.

22. The device according to claim 20, characterized in that it comprises means for the quantitative characterization of the phase resetting curves.

23. The device according to claim 19, characterized in that the means for determining the amplitude is a means by which the amplitude resetting curves are effected.

24. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for determining the vulnerable phase of the neuronal rhythm.

25. The device according to claim 24, characterized in that the means for determining the vulnerable phase is a means for varying the time spacing between the last excitation of the entrainment and the desynchronizing excitation signal.

26. The device according to claim 25, characterized in that the means for varying the time spacing between the last excitation of the entrainment and the desynchronizing is a means which effects a variation in the time spacing for different values of the intensity.

27. The device according to claim 25, characterized in that the means for varying the intensity is a means for increasing the intensity in equidistant steps.

28. The device according to claim 24, characterized in that it includes a means which enables from a series of test stimulations optimal stimulation parameters to be determined.

29. The device according to claim 28, characterized in that it includes means which detects stimulation parameters from a series of test stimulations from which a minimization of the amplitude of the neuronal activity to be desynchronized can be obtained.

30. The device according to claim 29, characterized in that the means for determining the minimization of the amplitude of the stimulation parameters which give rise to a desynchronization of the rhythm comprises a means for carrying out the Hilbert transformation.

31. The device according to claim 29, characterized in that the means for determining the minimization of the amplitude of the stimulation parameters giving rise to a desynchronization of the rhythm comprises a means for matching a slowly changing sine function to a signal of the sensor (2) in a time window following stimulation.

32. The device according to claim 29, characterized in that the means for determining the stimulation parameters giving rise to a minimization of the amplitude of the desynchronizing rhythm comprises a means for integrating the amplitude of the power spectrum over the frequency band of signals measured by the sensor (2) in a time window following the stimulation.

33. The device according to claim 20, characterized in that it comprises means for increasing the intensity in non-equidistant steps.

34. The device according to claim 20, characterized in that it comprises a means for evaluating phase resetting curves with which the effect of the desynchronizing excitation pulse on the phase dynamics of the desynchronizing neuronal activity is investigated.

35. The device according to claim 34, characterized in that the means for evaluating the phase resetting curves comprises a means for applying φ

_e, the phase of the neuronal activity before stimulation, over φ

_b the phase of the neuronal activity after stimulation.

36. The device according to claim 34, characterized in that the means for evaluating the phase resetting curves comprises a means for determining the position of the phase resetting curve at which the transition from a main rise 1 to a main rise 0.

37. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a means for monitoring the stimulation (6).

13. The device according to, characterized in that it comprises means for registering the change in the amplitude of the rhythm to be excited.