Method and apparatus for stimulating the sphenopalatine ganglion to modify properties of the BBB and cerebral blood flow
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for modifying a property of a brain of a patient, comprising:
- one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to a site selected from a group of sites consisting of;
a sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) of the patient and a neural tract originating in or leading to the SPG; and
a control unit, adapted to drive the one or more electrodes to apply a current to the site capable of inducing an increase in permeability of a blood-brain barrier (BBB) of the patient,wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the current to induce parasympathetic activation of the site.
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Abstract
Apparatus for modifying a property of a brain of a patient is provided, including one or more electrodes (7), adapted to be applied to a site selected from a group of sites consisting of: a sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) (6) of the patient and a neural tract originating in or leading to the SPG. A control unit (8) is adapted to drive the one or more electrodes to apply a current to the site capable of inducing (a) an increase in permeability of a blood-brain barrier (BBB) of the patient, (b) a change in cerebral blood flow of the patient, and/or (c) an inhibition of parasympathetic activity of the SPG.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. Apparatus for modifying a property of a brain of a patient, comprising:
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one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to a site selected from a group of sites consisting of;
a sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) of the patient and a neural tract originating in or leading to the SPG; anda control unit, adapted to drive the one or more electrodes to apply a current to the site capable of inducing an increase in permeability of a blood-brain barrier (BBB) of the patient, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the current to induce parasympathetic activation of the site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification