Brain stimulation method and device

• US 7,486,993 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2004
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barry Jason Worchel
• Original Assignee: Neurotone Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Gilmer, James Ray, Buie, John R., Buie, John G., Worchel, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oropeza; Frances P
• Application Number:
  US10/912,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20060030897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,643 Days
• Field of Search: 600/382, 600/383, 600/544, 607/2, 607/72, 607/115
• US Class Current: 607/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36025 for treating a mental or cerebral condition

Abstract

The present invention provides for applying electric impulse trains to a patient. A ditherer generates a plurality of indicia, each of the plurality of indicia corresponding to an impulse train. The ditherer is further configured to vary the time period between generating the indicia corresponding to the plurality of impulse trains. There is also a plurality of outputs for each of the plurality of indicia. Each of the two impulse trains are substantially 180 degrees out of phase with one another.

Claims

1. An apparatus for applying one or more electric impulse trains to a patient to stimulate at least one internal organ of the patient, comprising:

a generator, wherein the generator is configured to generate two or more sets of electric impulse trains, and wherein the generator is further configured to vary a time period between the generation within each set of the electric impulse trains, wherein the time period is incremented or decremented in response to a boundary limit, and wherein a first set of the electric impulse trains is substantially 180 degrees out of phase with a second set of the electric impulse trains; and

an output from the generator for each of the two or more sets of electric impulse trains, wherein the output of the two or more sets of electrodes changes in frequency within a range of about 70 Hz to about 110 Hz; and

two or more sets of electrodes, a first set of the sets of electrodes employable to convey voltage associated with the first set of the impulse trains to the patient, and a second set of the sets of electrodes employable to convey voltage associated with the second set of the impulse trains to the patient.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the generator comprises a ditherer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a resonator circuit coupled to the ditherer.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a placebo switch coupled to the ditherer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a feedback monitor coupled to the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the feedback monitor comprises functional magnetic resonance imaging.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power off timer configured to disable at least a portion of the generator after a specified amount of time has passed.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an impulse train comprises at least one positive voltage pulse and a corresponding number of negative voltage pulses.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the output of the two or more sets of electrodes changes in frequency within a range of 70 Hz to 110 Hz.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage is conveyed transcutaneously.

11. An apparatus for applying one or more electric impulse trains to a patient to stimulate at least one internal organ of the patient, comprising:

a generator, wherein the generator is configured to generate two or more sets of electric impulse trains, wherein the generator is further configured to vary a time period between the generation within each set of the electric impulse trains, wherein the time period is incremented or decremented in response to a boundary limit; and

an output from the generator for each of the two or more sets of electric impulse trains, wherein the output of the two or more sets of electrodes changes in frequency within a range of about 70 Hz to about 110 Hz; and

the two or more sets of impulse trains corresponding to each of two or more sets of electrodes, a first set of the sets of electrodes employable to convey voltage associated with the first set of the impulse trains to the patient, and a second set of the sets of electrodes employable to convey voltage associated with the second set of the impulse trains to the patient.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the generator is further configured to a select a maximum time period between impulse trains of the same set.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the generator is further configured to select minimum time period separating a plurality of impulse trains.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the generator further comprises a ditherer configured to increase the time period separating a plurality of impulse trains.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a ditherer is configured to decrease the time period separating a plurality of impulse trains.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an input of a first electrode coupled to a first driver, the first driver further coupled to the generator.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an input of a second electrode of coupled to a second driver, the second driver further coupled to the generator.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a first impulse train and a second impulse train are out of phase with each other.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first and second impulse trains are substantially 180 degrees out of phase with each other.

20. A method for generating a signal comprising automatically varying a period between a plurality of impulse trains employable for stimulating at least one internal organ of a patient, the method comprising:

providing at least a first and second set of electrodes;

generating an impulse train on at least the first set of electrodes;

delaying a selected number of microseconds as a function of a dither period;

following the delay, determining if the first and the second set of electrodes have received impulse trains;

if both sets of electrodes have not received impulse trains, generating an impulse train on the second set of electrodes;

determining if a direction of dither is positive or negative;

if the direction is positive, incrementing the period between the plurality of impulse trains;

if the direction is negative, decrementing the period between the plurality of impulse trains; and

determining if the incremented or decremented period has reached a boundary limit.

21. The method of claim 20, flirt her comprising determining whether the period is at either an upper limit or a lower limit.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein if the period is at a limit, changing the direction of the dither.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein both sets of electrodes are coupled to the head of a patient.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein one electrode is coupled to the head of a patient and the second electrode is coupled elsewhere on the patient.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the second electrode is coupled between the shoulder blades of the patient.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising monitoring a heartbeat and correlating the heartbeat to the period between the plurality of impulse trains.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein monitoring a heartbeat further comprises monitoring heart rate variability.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising determining a response of a patient as a function of the period between the plurality of impulse trains.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the time period between impulse trains comprises a plurality of microseconds.