Methods for modifying electrical currents in neuronal circuits
First Claim
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1. A method of treating psychiatric, neurological and neuroendocrine disorders in a mammal, the method comprising the steps of:
- applying a focused ultrasound pulse (FUP) to a live neuronal circuit in a tissue of the mammal, and the applied FUP uses a variation in pulsation parameter frequency to disrupt or activate a neuronal circuit function such that a naturally occurring hormone is released in the live neuronal circuit and in an organ connected to the live neuronal circuit and a level of the naturally occurring hormone is modulated; and
monitoring a tissue image including the live neuronal circuit from an imaging system during the application of the FUP.
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods for modifying electrical currents in brain circuits through the simultaneous use of focused ultrasound pulse (FUP) and an existing brain-imaging system, such as a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) system. The methods are used for research, treatment and diagnosis of psychiatric, neurological, and neuroendocrine disorders whose biological mechanisms include brain circuits. The methods include the simultaneous steps of applying FUP to a live neuronal circuit within a brain and monitoring a brain image produced by a brain imaging system during the application of FUP.
44 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of treating psychiatric, neurological and neuroendocrine disorders in a mammal, the method comprising the steps of:
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applying a focused ultrasound pulse (FUP) to a live neuronal circuit in a tissue of the mammal, and the applied FUP uses a variation in pulsation parameter frequency to disrupt or activate a neuronal circuit function such that a naturally occurring hormone is released in the live neuronal circuit and in an organ connected to the live neuronal circuit and a level of the naturally occurring hormone is modulated; and monitoring a tissue image including the live neuronal circuit from an imaging system during the application of the FUP. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. The method of cairn 1, wherein the disruption or activation of the neuronal circuit releases naturally occurring hormones in a gland that is connected to the live neuronal circuit.
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8. A method of treating psychiatric, neurological and neuroendocrine disorders in a mammal, the method comprising the steps of:
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applying a focused ultrasound pulse (FUP) to a tissue of a mammal, and the applied FUP uses a variation in frequency to disrupt or activate a tissue function such that a hormone level is modulated; and monitoring a tissue image from an imaging system during the application of the FUP, wherein the tissue is a brain of the mammal and the FUP is applied to a live neuronal circuit within a brain region of the mammal, the brain region being selected from the group consisting of a hypothalamus and a medulla oblongata, and the applied FUP uses a low frequency to disrupt the neuronal circuits or a high frequency to activate the neuronal circuits, and wherein the brain image is monitored from the imaging system during the application of the FUP. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of treating psychiatric, neurological and neuroendocrine disorders in a mammal, the method comprising the steps of:
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applying a focused ultrasound pulse (FUP) to a live neuronal circuit, where the applied FUP uses a low frequency to disrupt the neuronal circuits or a high frequency to activate the neuronal circuits; monitoring a brain image from a brain imaging system during the application of the FUP; administering a pharmaceutical medication to the mammal; allowing the pharmaceutical medication to distribute to a target location in the brain of the mammal; applying a second FUP to the target location in the mammal to alter the pharmaceutical medication at the target location; and assessing a response to the pharmaceutical medication from the mammal with the brain image from the imaging system after the application of the second FUP. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification