Neurological probe and method of using same

• US 20080119711A1
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: London Health Sciences Centre Research Incorporated, National Research Council Canada
• Original Assignee: National Research Council Canada
• Inventors: Dinkel, Craig, Nikumb, Suwas, Jog, Mandar
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/378
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes

Abstract

A neurological probe has a plurality of stacked electrode elements, each electrode element having stimulation/lesioning and recording electrodes incorporated with a strip of electrically non-conductive substrate. Such a probe is more compact while having a large number of stimulation/lesioning and recording channels.

Claims

1. Neurological probe comprising a plurality of stacked electrode elements, each electrode element comprising a strip of electrically non-conductive substrate having incorporated therewith a first electrode for providing an electrical current and a second electrode for recording electrical activity.

2. Probe of claim 1, wherein the stacked electrode elements are staggered to stagger positions of the first and second electrodes along the probe.

3. Probe of claim 2, wherein the first electrode is a stimulation and/or lesioning electrode and the second electrode is a recording electrode.

4. Probe of claim 3, wherein each electrode element comprises one first electrode and one second electrode.

5. Probe of claim 4, wherein the first and second electrodes are substantially coplanar in a plane defined by a length and a width of the strip.

6. Probe of claim 5, wherein the electrode elements are stacked in a direction perpendicular to the plane defined by the length and width of the strip.

7. Probe of claim 1, wherein the plurality of stacked electrode elements is four or more stacked electrode elements.

8. Probe of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes comprise platinum, titanium, gold, platinum-iridium or tungsten.

9. Probe of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes comprise platinum.

10. Probe of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive substrate comprises a biocompatible material.

11. Probe of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive substrate comprises a polyimide.

12. Probe of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive substrate comprises a parylene.

13. Probe of claim 1 further comprising an electrical connector connected to the electrodes.

14. Probe of claim 13 further comprising a protective housing to at least partially protect the electrical connector.

15. Probe of claim 1 further comprising a protective covering to at least partially protect the stacked electrode elements.

16. Probe of claim 1, wherein the plurality of stacked electrode elements form a stack having a cross-sectional area of 500 μ

m×

500 μ

m or less.

17. Probe of claim 1, wherein the second electrode has an impedance of 100,000 ohms or greater as measured at a frequency of 1000 Hz in a 0.9% NaCl solution, and the first electrode has an impedance of 500 ohms or less as measured at a frequency of 1000 Hz in a 0.9% NaCl solution.

18. Method of modulating and/or measuring neurological activity of a nerve cell or tissue comprising:

bringing the probe of claim 1 into proximity of the nerve cell or tissue; and

, determining electrical current generated in the second electrode to measure neurological activity of the nerve cell or tissue, and/or providing electrical current to the first electrode to stimulate or lesion the nerve cell or tissue.

19. Method of claim 18, wherein the nerve cell or tissue is a brain or cortical nerve cell or tissue.

20. Method of treating a neurological disorder comprising:

bringing the probe of claim 1 into proximity of a nerve cell or tissue implicated in the neurological disorder; and

, providing electrical current to the first electrode to stimulate or lesion the nerve cell or tissue.

21. Method of claim 20, further comprising determining the nerve cell or tissue implicated in the neurological disorder by measuring electrical activity of the cell or tissue with the second electrode before stimulating or lesioning the nerve cell or tissue with the first electrode.

22. Method of claim 21, wherein the neurological disorder is Parkinson'"'"'s disease, Tourette'"'"'s syndrome, dystonia, tremors, slowness of movement, depression, rigidity, epilepsy or an eating disorder.