DEVICES AND METHODS OF LOW FREQUENCY MAGNETIC STIMULATION THERAPY

• US 20130137918A1
• Filed: 11/13/2012
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wave Neuroscience, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Neosync, Inc.
• Inventors: PHILLIPS, James William, JIN, Yi
• Granted Patent: US 9,649,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/006 for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/02 using magnetic fields produced by coils, including single turn loops or electromagnets A61N2/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/06 using magnetic fields produced by permanent magnets A61N2/12 takes precedence

Abstract

Described herein, in certain embodiments, are devices and methods for modulating the electrical activity of a brain in a targeted manner using a weak magnetic field, generally field with a strength of less than about 100 Gauss. The magnetic field is varied over time in a periodic manner, generally with a frequency tuned to specifically affect one of the intrinsic frequencies of the brain, optionally the alpha frequency. The “Low Field Magnetic Stimulation” devices and methods described herein modulate the electrical activity of a brain without requiring medication. Methods and devices described herein gently “tune” the brain and affect mood, focus, and cognition of human subjects.

Claims

1-95. -95. (canceled)

96. A Low Field Magnetic Stimulation device comprising:

a. a user interface;

b. a waveform generator in communication with the user interface, wherein the waveform generator creates an electrical waveform; and

c. at least one coil that converts the electrical waveform into a magnetic field,

wherein the user interface comprises a controller configured to allow adjustment of the waveform to create the magnetic field that influences (a) an intrinsic frequency of a brain of the subject within a specified Electroencephalography (EEG) band;

(b) a Q-factor of an intrinsic frequency of a brain of the subject within a specified EEG band;

(c) a coherence of intrinsic frequencies among multiple sites in a brain of the subject within a specified EEG band;

(d) an EEG phase, or (e) a combination thereof,

wherein at least one of (a) a strength of the magnetic field is less than about 100 Gauss, (b) the magnetic field is substantially uniform, (c) the magnetic field is configured to target substantially the whole brain, and (d) the waveform has a frequency of less than about 100 Hz, and

wherein controller allows adjustment of a frequency of the magnetic field, adjustment of a frequency of the waveform, or can be used to pulse of the magnetic field.

97. The device of claim 96, wherein the magnetic field is generated by a coil configured to encircle the head of the subject, wherein the magnetic field is generated by a plurality of coils around the head of the subject, or wherein the magnetic field is generated by a coil that can be positioned over a region of interest on the head of the subject.

98. The device of claim 96, wherein the device is configured to stimulate a brain of the subject to a level below the threshold for depolarization of the neurons in the brain of the subject.

99. The device of claim 96, wherein the magnetic field is substantially uniform, wherein the magnetic field strength varies substantially linearly, wherein the magnetic field has no gradient greater than about 5 Gauss/cm, and/or wherein the magnetic field is unidirectional.

100. The device of claim 96, wherein the magnetic field varies according to a waveform, wherein the waveform is a mono-phasic rectangular pulse, a bi-phasic rectangular pulse, a mono-phasic trapezoidal pulse, a bi-phasic trapezoidal pulse, a mono-phasic sinusoidal pulse, a bi-phasic sinusoidal pulse, a mono-phasic pulse train series, a bi-phasic pulse train series, or a sinusoid.

101. The device of claim 96, wherein the waveform has a period of less than about 10 msec, wherein the waveform has a frequency between about 8 Hz and about 13 Hz, wherein the strength of the magnetic field is less than about 100 Gauss, and/or wherein the strength of the magnetic field is less than about 500 milli-gauss.

102. A method for treating a subject comprising:

providing a Low Field Magnetic Stimulation device having a magnetic field generator that is adjusted to or is adjustable to generate a magnetic field that

influences an intrinsic frequency of a specified EEG band of the subject toward a target intrinsic frequency of the specified EEG band,

influences a Q-factor of an intrinsic frequency within a specified EEG band of the subject toward a target Q-factor,

influences a coherence of intrinsic frequencies among multiple sites in a brain of the subject within a specified EEG band toward a target coherence value; and

/or

influences an EEG phase between two sites in the brain of a subject of a specified EEG frequency toward a target EEG phase of the specified EEG frequency,

when the magnetic field is applied to the head of a subject.

103. The method of claim 102, wherein the subject is treated for about 1 minute to about 1 hour, and wherein the treatment is repeated after an interval of about 6 hours to about 14 days.

104. The method of claim 102, wherein the magnetic field generated is below the threshold for depolarization of the neurons in the brain of the subject.

106. The method of claim 102, wherein the magnetic field is substantially uniform, wherein the magnetic field strength varies substantially linearly, wherein the magnetic field has no gradient greater than about 5 Gauss/cm, wherein the magnetic field is unidirectional.

107. The method of claim 102, wherein the magnetic field varies according to a waveform that is a mono-phasic rectangular pulse, a bi-phasic rectangular pulse, a mono-phasic trapezoidal pulse, a bi-phasic trapezoidal pulse, a mono-phasic sinusoidal pulse, a bi-phasic sinusoidal pulse, a mono-phasic pulse train series, a bi-phasic pulse train series, or a sinusoid.

108. The method of claim 102, wherein the waveform has a period of less than about 10 msec, wherein the waveform has a frequency between about 8 Hz and about 13 Hz, and/or wherein the strength of the magnetic field is less than about 500 milli-gauss.

109. The method of claim 102, wherein the method increases blood flow in the cortex of the subject.

110. The method of claim 102, wherein the method that is effective to

provide a treatment comprising improving cognitive function, improving executive function, improving academic performance, improving sports performance, improving neuropathic pain in the subject, improving a neurological disorder in the subject, improving a symptom of brain damage, and improving brain dysfunction in the subject, or

improve at least one of an indication in the subject;

a disorder in the subject;

a symptom in the subject;

a dysfunction in the subject;

a characteristic in the subject; and

any combination thereof.

111. The method of claim 110,

wherein the indication is selected from the group consisting of replacement for meditation, quick nap, stress release, attention span, comprehension, memory, lowered blood pressure, increased libido, sports performance, academic performance, and any combination thereof;

wherein the disorder is selected from the group consisting of depression, bipolar, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, seizure, Parkinson'"'"'s disease, ADHD, autism, substance abuse, head injury, Alzheimer'"'"'s disease, eating disorder, sleep disorder, tinnitus, fibromyalgia, and any combination thereof;

wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of peripheral visual response, attention span, immediate reaction time (IRT), movement time (MT), simple perceptual reaction time (SPR), conflict perceptual reaction time (CPR), and any combination thereof;

wherein the neuropathic pain comprises at least one of;

occipital neuralgia, neuritis, trigeminal neuralgia, peripheral neuralgia, sciatic neuralgia, intercostal neuralgia, postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, and glossopharyngeal neuralgia;

wherein the neurological disorder comprises at least one of a brain neurological disorder, a spinal cord disorder, a peripheral nervous system disorder, a cranial nerve disorder, an autonomic nervous system disorder, a seizure disorder, epilepsy, a movement disorder, a sleep disorder, a headache, lower back pain, neck pain, other generalized neuropathic pain, delirium, dementia, dizziness, vertigo, stupor, coma, a head injury, a stroke, multiple sclerosis, a demylenating disease, an infection of the brain or spinal cord, a prion disease, and a complex regional pain syndrome;

wherein the brain damage comprises at least one of;

cerebral lobe damage including lower brain areas such as the basal ganglia, the cerebellum, and the brainstem;

frontal lobe damage, parietal lobe damage, temporal lobe damage, and occipital lobe damage; and

/or

wherein the brain dysfunction comprises at least one of;

aphasia, dysarthria, apraxia, agnosia, and amnesia.

106-1. The method of claim 102, wherein the magnetic field is applied to a diffuse area of the brain of the subject.

112. A method for treating a subject comprising influencing the brain of the subject with a magnetic field having a specified frequency, wherein the magnetic field has a strength of less than about 100 Gauss, and wherein the specified frequency influences (a) an intrinsic frequency of a brain of the subject within a specified Electroencephalography (EEG) band;

(b) a Q-factor of an intrinsic frequency of a brain of the subject within a specified EEG band;

(c) a coherence of intrinsic frequencies among multiple sites in a brain of the subject within a specified EEG band;

(d) an EEG phase, or (e) a combination thereof.

113. The method of claim 112, wherein the magnetic field is generated by at least one of a Low Field Magnetic Stimulator (LFMS), a Magnetic Resonance Imager (MRI), a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator (TMS), a Neuro-EEG Synchronization Therapy device, a picoTesla™

device, or any combination thereof.

114-129. -129. (canceled)