Biofeedback of human central nervous system activity using radiation detection

• US 5,995,857 A
• Filed: 06/27/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert C. Marsh, Toomim I. Hershel
• Original Assignee: Robert C. Marsh, Toomim I. Hershel
• Inventors: Marsh, Robert C., Toomim, I. Hershel
• Primary Examiner(s): WINAKUR, ERIC FRANK
• Application Number:
  US08/883,745
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 600/544, 600/545, 600/322, 600/323, 600/333, 600/340, 600/473, 600/476, 600/407, 600/454, 600/504, 128/905
• US Class Current: 600/322
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4064 Evaluating the brain A61B5/031, A61B5/369, A61B5/14553 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/905 Feedback to patient of biological signal other than brain electric signal

Abstract

Apparatus and method for biofeedback of human central nervous system activity using radiation detection. This invention uses radiation from the brain resulting either from an ingested or injected radioactive material or radio frequency excitation or light from an external source impinging on the brain. The radiation is measured by suitable means and is made available to the subject on which the measurement is being made for his voluntary control. The measurement may be metabolic products of brain activity or some quality of the blood, such as its oxygen content. One such system utilizes red and infrared light to illuminate the brain through the translucent skull and scalp. Absorption and scattering of incident radiation depends on the degree of oxygen saturation of the blood in the illuminated tissue. The relationship of the returned scattered and absorbed light intensities can be obtained and displayed via a suitable display of sound, graphics or both so that a human being included in the feedback system can attempt to vary the display and thereby control the actual brain blood oxygenation at will. Control of brain blood perfusion is so quickly mastered that most subjects require less than 5 minutes to gain control.

Claims

1. A biofeedback method for allowing an individual to adjust the blood flow or oxygenation or metabolism of said individual'"'"'s brain comprising:

a. administering energy to the brain of said individual;

said energy designed to ascertain the blood flow or blood oxygenation or metabolism of said brain;

b. providing a detecting means for detecting radiation produced by said brain in response to said energy administration and producing a signal relating to said radiation;

said signal providing a measure of said blood flow or blood oxygenation or tissue metabolism;

c. providing a display means for making a presentation of said signal so that said sensing and presentation permits control of said blood flow or blood oxygenation or tissue metabolism by said individual;

d. operatively connecting said detecting means to said display in a biofeedback system;

e. detecting said radiation and producing said signal on said display means;

f. presenting said signal on said display means;

g. arranging sensing of said presentation by said individual; and

h. voluntarily controlling by said individual said blood flow or blood oxygenation or tissue metabolism in response to said presentation via biofeedback.

2. A biofeedback method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

a. providing a computing means for making calculations on said signal and outputting said calculations;

said calculations designed to derive a representation of said blood flow or blood oxygenation or tissue metabolism from said signal;

b. operatively connecting said computing means between said detecting means and said display means;

c. making said calculations in said computing means; and

d. outputting said calculations to said display means;

whereby said presentation is made more meaningful to said individual.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of modifying said energy by an external field selected from the group consisting of electric, magnetic, or both.

4. A biofeedback method for allowing an individual to adjust an alterable characteristic of said individual'"'"'s brain comprising the steps of:

a. providing a light source adapted to irradiate said individual'"'"'s brain with light;

the wavelength of said light selected to ascertain said alterable characteristic;

b. providing a radiation detector adapted for detecting radiation reflected and scattered by said individual'"'"'s brain from said light source;

c. providing a processor capable of calculating a parameter of the radiation detected by said radiation detector;

said parameter selected to represent said alterable characteristic;

d. providing a display which can display said parameter so that viewing said parameter on said display enables voluntary control of said alterable characteristic by said individual;

e. operatively interconnecting said light source, said radiation detector, said processor, and said display in a biofeedback system;

f. positioning said light source and said radiation detector about said individual'"'"'s head so that said radiation detector will optimally detect light reflected and scattered by said individual'"'"'s brain from said light source;

g. activating said light source and said radiation detector;

h. detecting radiation reflected and scattered by said individual'"'"'s brain in said detector;

i. calculating said parameter in said processor;

j. outputting said parameter to said display;

k. arranging viewing of said display by said individual; and

l. voluntarily controlling by said individual said alterable characteristic in response to said display via biofeedback.

5. A biofeedback method as claimed in claim 4 further comprising the step of pulsing said light source.

10. A method as claimed in claims 4, or 6, further comprising the step of eliminating interference with operation of said radiation detector from ambient light.

6. A biofeedback method for allowing an individual to adjust an alterable characteristic of said individual'"'"'s brain comprising the steps of:

a. providing a red light source adapted to irradiate said individual'"'"'s brain with red light of a wavelength of about 660 to 700 nm;

b. providing an infrared light source adapted to irradiate said individual'"'"'s brain with infrared light of a wavelength of about 800 to 1000 nm;

c. providing a radiation detector adapted for detecting light reflected and scattered by said individual'"'"'s brain from said red and infrared light sources;

d. providing a processor capable of calculating a relationship between red and infrared light detected by said radiation detector;

said relationship selected to represent said alterable characteristic;

e. providing a display which can display said relationship so that viewing said relationship on said display means enables voluntary control of said alterable characteristic by said individual;

f. operatively connecting said radiation detector to said processor and said processor to said display in a biofeedback system;

g. positioning said red light source, said infrared light source and said radiation detector around said individual'"'"'s head so that said radiation detector will optimally detect light reflected and scattered by said individual'"'"'s brain from said red and infrared light sources;

h. activating said red light source, said infrared light source and said radiation detector;

i. detecting light reflected and scattered by said individual'"'"'s brain from said red and infrared light sources in said radiation detector;

j. calculating said relationship in said processor;

k. outputting said relationship to said display;

l. arranging viewing of said display by said individual; and

m. voluntarily controlling by said individual said alterable characteristic in response to said display via biofeedback.

7. A biofeedback method as claimed in claim 6, additionally comprising the step of alternately activating said red light source and said infrared light source.

8. A biofeedback method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the step of pulsing said light sources.

9. A biofeedback method as claimed in claim 6, further including the steps of:

a. providing an attaching means for attaching said red light emitting means, said infrared light emitting means and said radiation detection means to said individual'"'"'s head; and

b. attaching said red light emitting means, said infrared light emitting means and said radiation detection means to said individual'"'"'s head.

11. A biofeedback method for allowing an individual to adjust an alterable characteristic of said individual'"'"'s brain comprising the steps of:

a. providing a red light source adapted to irradiate said individual'"'"'s brain with red light of a wavelength of about 660 to 700 nm;

b. providing an infrared light source adapted to irradiate said individual'"'"'s brain with infrared light of a wavelength of about 800 to 1000 nm;

c. providing a radiation detector adapted for detecting radiation reflected and scattered by said individual'"'"'s brain from said red and infrared light sources;

d. providing a circuit operatively interconnecting said red light source, said infrared light source and said radiation detector;

e. providing a processor capable of calculating a relationship between red and infrared light detected by said radiation detector;

said relationship selected to represent said alterable characteristic;

f. providing a display which can display said relationship for voluntary control by said individual;

g. operatively connecting said processor to said circuit and said display in a biofeedback system;

h. attaching said red light source, said infrared light source and said radiation detector to said individual'"'"'s head so that said light sources are adjacent to each other, said radiation detector is 2 to 3.5 cm from said light sources, and ambient light is excluded from said radiation detector;

i. activating said red light source, said infrared light source and said radiation detector;

j. detecting radiation reflected and scattered by said individual'"'"'s brain from said red and infrared light sources in said radiation detector;

k. calculating said relationship;

l. outputting said relationship to said display;

m. arranging viewing of said display by said individual; and

n. voluntarily controlling by said individual said alterable characteristic in response to said display via biofeedback.

12. A biofeedback method as claimed in claim 11, additionally comprising the step of alternately activating said red light source and said infrared light source.

13. A biofeedback method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising the step of pulsing said light sources.

14. A method for enabling an individual to adjust an alterable characteristic of said individual'"'"'s brain comprising the steps of:

a. providing a radiation detector adapted for detecting spectral components of radiant energy emanating from the brain of said individual;

b. providing processing means capable of calculating a relationship between the spectral components of the output from said radiation detector;

c. providing a sensory information means selected from the group consisting of sound, visual, and tactile means which can inform said individual of the detected relationship of the spectral components of the output of said processing means;

d. providing a circuit operatively interconnecting said radiation detector, said processing means, and said sensory information means;

e. including said individual in an operative feedback system comprising said radiation detector, said processing means, said sensory information means, and said circuit means for voluntary increase by said individual of blood flow, or blood oxygenation, or metabolism of said individual'"'"'s brain;

f. operating said feedback system to inform said individual with said sensory information means;

g. voluntarily controlling by said individual said blood flow, or blood oxygenation, or metabolism in response to said information from said sensory information means via biofeedback.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of initially administering radioactive material in order to produce said radiant energy.

16. The method of claim 14, in which the radiant energy is light.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of modifying said radiant energy by an external field selected from the group consisting of electric, magnetic, or both.

18. The method of claim 17, in which radiant energy is light.

19. The method of claim 18, in which the wavelength of said light is selected to ascertain said individual'"'"'s cerebral blood flow.

20. The method of claim 18, in which the wavelength of said light is selected to ascertain said individual'"'"'s cerebral metabolism.

21. The method of claims 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 in which said presenting step includes the step of making a calculation on said detected radiant energy.