Methods for modifying electrical currents in neuronal circuits

• US 20070299370A1
• Filed: 08/27/2007
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BrainSonix Corporation
• Original Assignee: BrainSonix Corporation
• Inventors: Bystritsky, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 with multiple treatment transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods for modifying electrical currents in brain circuits through the simultaneous use of focused ultrasound pulse (FUP) and an existing brain-imaging system, such as a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) system. The methods are used for research, treatment and diagnosis of psychiatric, neurological, and neuroendocrine disorders whose biological mechanisms include brain circuits. The methods include the simultaneous steps of applying FUP to a live neuronal circuit within a brain and monitoring a brain image produced by a brain imaging system during the application of FUP.

Claims

1. A method of treating psychiatric, neurological and neuroendocrine disorders in a mammal, the method comprising the steps of:

applying a focused ultrasound pulse (FUP) to a tissue of a mammal, and the applied FUP uses a variation in frequency to disrupt or activate a tissue function such that a hormone level is modulated; and

monitoring a tissue image from an imaging system during the application of the FUP.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mammal is a human.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tissue is a brain of the mammal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the FUP is applied to a live neuronal circuit within a brain region of the mammal, the brain region being selected from the group consisting of a hypothalamus and a medulla oblongata, and the applied FUP uses a low frequency to disrupt the neuronal circuits or a high frequency to activate the neuronal circuits, and wherein the brain image is monitored from the imaging system during the application of the FUP.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the FUP is applied to the hypothalamus and the modulation is an increase or decrease in release of a hypothalamic hormone.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the disorders are selected from the group consisting of sexual disorder, menstrual disorder, diabetes, growth disorder, blood pressure disorder, thyroid disorder, skin disorder, and wake sleep cycle disorder.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the FUP is applied to a hypothalamic nuclei in the hypothalamus, the hypothalamic nuclei being selected from the group consisting of an anterior nuclei, a tuberal nuclei and a posterior nuclei.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the hypothalamic hormone is selected from the group consisting of corticotrophin-releasing hormone, dopamine, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, growth hormone-releasing hormone, melatonin, oxytocin, somatostatin, thyrotropin-releasing hormone, vasopressin, and mixtures thereof.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the release of corticotrophin-releasing hormone is increased.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the disorders are selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, lupus, and myelofibrosis.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the release of corticotrophin-releasing hormone is decreased.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the disorders are selected from the group consisting of cancer, opportunistic inflammations and fungal infections.

13. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

applying at least one additional FUP to at least one other live neuronal circuit within the brain region.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein the FUP is applied to the medulla oblongata and the modulation is an effect on the sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the disorders are selected from the group consisting of bowel disorders, ulcers, inflammatory bowel syndrome disorder, irritable bowel syndrome disorder, arrhythmia, and high blood pressure.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the imaging system is selected from the group consisting of a functional magnetic resonance image (fMRI) system;

a vector-electroencephalogram (V-EEG), and a positron emission tomograph (PET).

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

administering a pharmaceutical medication to the mammal; and

assessing the tissue image from the imaging system after the administration of the pharmaceutical medication.

18. A method of treating psychiatric, neurological and neuroendocrine disorders in a mammal, the method comprising the steps of:

administering a pharmaceutical medication to a mammal;

allowing the pharmaceutical medication to distribute to a target location in the mammal;

applying a focused ultrasound pulse (FUP) to the target location in the mammal to alter the pharmaceutical medication at the target location; and

assessing a response to the pharmaceutical medication from the mammal with an image from an imaging system after the application of the FUP.

19. The method of claim 18 further including monitoring the pharmaceutical medication in the mammal with the imaging system to determine when the pharmaceutical medication is distributed to the target location in the mammal.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the mammal is human.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the target location is a brain of the mammal.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the target location is a body tissue of the mammal.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the alteration causes a change in property of the pharmaceutical medication, the property selected from the group consisting of chemical activity, composition and viscosity.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the alteration activates the pharmaceutical medication.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the administration of the pharmaceutical medication to the target location is guided by images from the imaging system.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the imaging system is selected from the group consisting of a functional magnetic resonance image (fMRI) system;

a vector-electroencephalogram (V-EEG), and a positron emission tomograph (PET).

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of applying FUP further comprises the step of applying FUP via ultrasound transducers that comprise a non-ferromagnetic material.

28. The method of claim 28, wherein the ultrasound transducers comprise copper.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein there are 300 to 1000 ultrasound transducers.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the ultrasound transducers are housed in a cap which comprises a non-ferromagnetic material.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of applying FUP further comprises placing the cap on the head of the mammal.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the cap comprises copper.

33. A method of treating psychiatric, neurological and neuroendocrine disorders in a mammal, the method comprising the steps of:

applying a focused ultrasound pulse (FUP) to a live neuronal circuit, where the applied FUP uses a low frequency to disrupt the neuronal circuits or a high frequency to activate the neuronal circuits;

monitoring a brain image from a brain imaging system during the application of the FUP;

administering a pharmaceutical medication to the mammal;

allowing the pharmaceutical medication to distribute to a target location in the brain of the mammal;

applying a second FUP to the target location in the mammal to alter the pharmaceutical medication at the target location; and

assessing a response to the pharmaceutical medication from the mammal with the brain image from the imaging system after the application of the second FUP.

34. The method of claim 33 further including monitoring the pharmaceutical medication in the mammal with the imaging system to determine when the pharmaceutical medication is distributed to the target location in the mammal.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the focus of the FUP is about 2 or more centimeters into the brain from the exterior of the skull.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the focus of the FUP is from about 2 cm to about 12 cm into the brain from the exterior of the skull.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the frequency of the FUP is less than 300 Hz.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the frequency of the FUP is from about 500 Hz to about 5 MHz.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein a diameter of the focus area of the FUP is about 0.5 mm.

40. The method of claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

adjusting a frequency and phase of the second FUP to change the focus of the second FUP; and

applying a third FUP to the target location.

41. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of running a pre-timed computed tomography (CT) scan to determine bone density and structure of bone surrounding the brain.