Method for electrically stimulating the human brain

• US 3,918,461 A
• Filed: 01/31/1974
• Issued: 11/11/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Irving S. Cooper
• Original Assignee: Irving S. Cooper
• Inventors: Cooper, Irving S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/438,433
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 128/419R,420,421,422,423,2.1R,2.1B 3/1
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators

Abstract

A method and apparatus for electrically stimulating the human brain which includes applying electrodes directly to the cerebellum and feeding electrical impulses to such electrodes with a view to aiding individuals suffering from intractable hypertonia, epilepsy and other ailments, said electrical impulses having a duration of from 0.5 to 2.5 milliseconds, an ampliude of from 0.5 to 14.0 volts, and a frequency of from 1 to 300 pulses per second.

Claims

1. A method of stimulating the human brain comprising the steps of:

affixing at least one set of electrodes directly to a region of the cerebellum;

generating electrical pulses having a duration of from 0.5 to 2.5 milliseconds, an amplitude of from 0.5 to 14.0 volts and a frequency of from 1 to 300 pulses per second; and

applying the generated electrical pulses to said electrode.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein a first set of electrodes are affixed to the paleocerebellum region of the cerebellum and a second set of electrodes are affixed to the neocerebellum region of the cerebellum.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein said electrical pulses are alternately applied in bursts to said first and second sets of electrodes.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein each burst of pulses has a duration of from 1.0 minute to 30.0 minutes.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the duration of the pulses is 1.0 millisecond and the pulses have a rectangular waveform.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the amplitude of the pules is 10.0 volts and the frequency of the pulses is 200 pulses per second.

7. A method as in claim 5, wherein the amplitude of the pulses is from 5.0 to 10.0 volts and the frequency of the pulses is 10.0 pulses per second.