SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE NERVOUS SYSTEM OF A LIVING ORGANISM

• US 3,837,331 A
• Filed: 10/24/1972
• Issued: 09/24/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sidney A. Ross
• Original Assignee: Sidney A. Ross
• Inventors: Ross, Sidney A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Application Number:
  US05/299,842
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.1B,2.1R,1C,422
• US Class Current: 600/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/377 using evoked responses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/905 Feedback to patient of biological signal other than brain electric signal

Abstract

A novel method for controlling the nervous system of a living organism for therapeutic and research purposes, among other applications, and an electronic system utilized in, and enabling the practice of the invented method. Bioelectrical signals generated in specific topological areas of the organism'"'"''"'"'s nervous system, typically areas of the brain, are processed by the invented system so as to produce an output signal which is in some way an analog of selected characteristics detected in the bioelectrical signal. The output of the system, typically an audio or visual signal, is fed back to the organism as a stimulus. Responding to the stimulus, the organism can be trained to control the waveform pattern of the bioelectrical signal generated in its own nervous system. The invention system comprises means for frequency filtering, rectifying, integrating and amplifying. In addition, the system includes means for transducing the processed signal and displaying it as an output to the subject.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the nervous system of a living organism by altering the waveform pattern of a bioelectrical signal generated in its nervous system, comprising the steps of:

a. detecting a bioelectrical signal at a specific topological location in said organism'"'"''"'"'s nervous system;

b. passing said bioelectrical signal through a bandpass filter, said filter being adapted to pass only frequency components thereof which are related to the particular control sought;

c. passing said frequency components of said bioelectrical signal through a timing circuit, said timing circuit being adapted to detect whether said frequencies are present for a preselected minimum duration;

d. providing an output signal when and if said frequency components are present for said preselected minimum duration;

e. detecting the presence of any undesirable characteristics of said bioelectrical signal, said undesirable characteristic being one whose presence warrants inhibiting said method;

f. applying said output signal to a voltage transducing device for a preselected duration so long as no undesirable characteristic is detected, said device providing a sensory signal capable of stimulating at least one of the senses of said organism, said sensory signal having a discrete state related to the waveform pattern of said bioelectrical signal; and

g. causing said organism to concentrate mentally so as to affect the intensity or state of said sensory signal in a preselected way;

whereby said organism is trained to alter the waveform pattern of said bioelectrical signal in a desired manner and thereby to control its nervous system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said undesirable signals include excessively high amplitude EMG signals attributable to bioelectrical activity in said organism'"'"''"'"'s muscular apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1 including the additional steps of (i) detecting the presence of any undesirable signal which may appear together with said bioelectrical signal, said undesirable signal being one whose presence warrants inhibiting said method, and (ii) inhibiting the presentation of said sensory signal to said organism when said undesirable signal is detected.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said undesirable characteristics include the high amplitude spikes which may appear during epileptic seizures.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said undesirable characteristics include amplitudes of said bioelectrical signal which are greater than a preselected magnitude.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said bioelectrical signal is altered so as to increase the amplitude of said frequency components passed by said filter.

7. The method of claim 6 including the additional step of passing said frequency components through amplitude sensing means and providing an output signal when and if the amplitude of said frequency components is above a preselected magnitude.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a preselected minimum interval elapses between successive presentations of said sensory signal or changes in the state thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said sensory signal is an audio signal whose state is directly related to the degree to which the alteration of said waveform pattern is achieved, said organism concentrating mentally so as to change said state in a preselected manner.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said sensory signal is a visual display whose state is directly related to the degree to which the alteration of said waveform is achieved, said organism concentrating mentally so as to change said state in a preselected manner.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said sensory signal is a combination of visual and audio signals.

12. The method of claim 1 including the additional steps of rectifying and integrating said bioelectrical signal after it has passed through said bandpass fIlter.

13. A method of controlling the nervous system of a living organism by altering the waveform pattern of a bioelectrical signal generated at a sepcific topological location in its nervous system, said waveform pattern being altered so as to increase the energy content in a preselected frequency band thereof, comprising the steps of:

a. detecting said bioelectrical signal at said topological location;

b. passing said bioelectrical signal through a narrow bandpass filter adapted to pass only frequencies within said frequency band;

c. rectifying said bioelectrical signal;

d. integrating said bioelectrical signal;

e. passing said bioelectrical signal through means for sensing voltage amplitude, said means being adapted to detect whether the amplitude thereof is above a preselected magnitude and to provide a first signal as long as said amplitude remains thereabove;

f. passing said first signal through a timing circuit adapted to detect whether frequencies within said frequency band are present for at least a preselected duration;

g. providing a second signal when and if said bioelectrical signal contains frequencies in said frequency band with an amplitude above said preselected magnitude for at least said preselected duration;

h. detecting the presence of high amplitudes of or spikes on said bioelectrical signal;

i. applying said second signal to a voltage transducing device for a preselected period so long as no high amplitudes or spikes are detected, said device being adapted to provide a visual display whose state is directly related to the degree of success in increasing the energy content in said frequency band of said bioelectrical signal; and

j. causing a preselected minimum interval to elapse between successive presentations of said sensory signal or changes in the state thereof;

k. causing said organism to concentrate mentally so as to change the state of said visual display in successive steps, said successive steps occurring at preselected intervals;

whereby said organism is trained to increase the energy content in said frequency band of said bioelectrical signal and thereby to control its nervous system.

14. A system for controlling the nervous system of a living organism by altering the waveform pattern of a bioelectrical signal generated in its nervous system comprising:

a. means electrically responsive to said bioelectrical signal;

b. means for amplifying said bioelectrical signal, said amplifying means being electrically coupled to said responsive means;

c. a bandpass filter having an input which is electrically coupled to the output of said amplifying means, said filter being arranged and constructed to pass only frequency components which are related to the particular control sought;

d. means for sensing the duration of said frequency components passed by said filter, said duration sensing means being electrically coupled to the output of said filter and being arranged and constructed to provide an output signal when and if said frequencies are present for a preselected minimum duration;

e. means for detecting the presence of any undesirable characteristic of said bioelectrical signal, the input of said detecting means being electrically coupled to the output of said amplifying means;

f. means for transducing said output signal into a sensory signal having a preselected duration, said sensory signal being capable of stimulating at least one of the senses of said organism, said transducing means being electrically coupled to the output of said duration sensing means, said sensory signal having discrete states related to the waveform pattern of said bioelectrical signal; and

g. means for inhibiting the appearance of said output signal whenever any undesirable characteristic is detected, the input of said inhibiting means being electrically coupled to said detecting means and the output thereof being electrically coupled to said duration sensing means;

WHEREBY said organism is trained to alter said waveform pattern of said bioelectrical signal in a desired manner by concentrating mentally so as to affect the state of said sensory signal in a preselected way.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said means electrically responsive to said bioelectrical signal are electrodes adapted to be coupled to said organism.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said filter is electrically coupled to said amplifying means through a precision attenuator adjusted to provide a desired voltage amplitude.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein said duration sensing means is electrically coupled to the output of said filter through serial means for rectifying and integrating said bioelectrical signal.

18. The system of claim 17 having in addition thereto a light emitting device electrically coupled to the output of said integrating means, the illumination of said device being proportional to the voltage applied across it.

19. The system of claim 14 having in addition thereto means for sensing voltage amplitude, said amplitude sensing means being electrically coupled between said filter and said duration sensing means, said amplitude sensing means being arranged and constructed to provide an output to said duration sensing means when and if the amplitude of said frequency components is above a preselected magnitude.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein said undesirable characteristics of said bioelectrical signal include excessively high amplitudes or spikes, and said detecting means comprises (i) an attenuator;

(ii) a very broadband filter;

(iii) means for rectifying;

(iv) means for integrating and (v) means for sensing voltage amplitude, said components being electrically coupled in series.

21. The system of claim 14 having in addition thereto second means for detecting the presence of any undesirable signals which may appear together with said bioelectrical signal, the input of said second detecting means being adapted to be electrically coupled to said organism and the output thereof being electrically coupled to said inhibiting means.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said undesirable signals include excessively high amplitude EMG signals attributable to bioelectrical activity in said organism'"'"''"'"'s muscular apparatus, said second detecting means comprising (i) at least one electrode;

(ii) an amplifier;

(iii) an attenuator;

(iv) means for rectifying;

(v) means for integrating; and

(vi) means for sensing voltage amplitude, said components being electrically coupled in series.

23. The system of claim 14 having in addition thereto a timing circuit adapted to control the minimum interval between successive presentations of said sensory signal to said organism.

24. A system for controlling the nervous system of a living organism by altering the waveform pattern of a bioelectrical signal generated in its nervous system so as to increase the energy content in a preselected frequency band thereof comprising:

a. electrodes adapted to be coupled to specific topological locations in said organism'"'"''"'"'s nervous system;

b. means for amplifying and attenuating said bioelectrical signal, said amplifying and attenuating means being electrically coupled to said electrodes and adjusted to achieve a desired voltage amplitude;

c. a bandpass filter having an input which is electrically coupled to the output of said amplifying and attenuating means, said filter being arranged and constructed to pass only frequencies within said frequency band;

d. means for rectifying and integrating said bioelectrical signal electrically coupled to the output of said filter, the output of said rectifying and integrating means being unipolar and having a peak amplitude directly proportional to the amplitude of the frequency components passed by said filter;

e. means for sensing voltage amplitude electrically coupled to said rectifying and integrating means, said amplitude sensing means being arranged and constructed to provide an outpUt when and if the amplitude of said frequency components thereof is above a preselected magnitude;

f. means for sensing the duration of said frequency components passed by said filter, said duration sensing means being electrically coupled to the output of said amplitude sensing means and being arranged and constructed to provide an output signal when and if said frequencies are present for a preselected minimum duration;

g. means for detecting the presence of excessively high amplitudes or spikes in said bioelectrical signal, said detecting means being electrically coupled to the output of said amplifying means;

h. means for transducing said output signal into a visual display whose state is directly related to the degree of success in increasing the energy content in said frequency band of said bioelectrical signal, said transducing means being electrically coupled to the output of said duration sensing means;

i. a timing circuit electrically coupled between said duration sensing means and said transducing means, said timing circuit being arranged and constructed to control the duration of said visual display and the minimum interval between successive presentations or changes in the state thereof; and

j. means for inhibiting the appearance of said output signal whenever excessively high amplitudes or spikes are detected in said bioelectrical signal, the input of said inhibiting means being electrically coupled to said detecting means and the output thereof being electrically coupled to said duration sensing means;

whereby said organism is trained to increase the energy of content in said frequency band of said bioelectrical signal by concentrating mentally so as to change the state of said visual display in a preselected way.