Electrical substance clearance from the brain for treatment of Alzheimer's disease

• US 9,724,515 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rainbow Medical Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Rainbow Medical Ltd.
• Inventors: Fostick, Gideon, Gross, Yossi
• Primary Examiner(s): GETZOW, SCOTT M
• Application Number:
  US14/926,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20170120053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0504 Subcutaneous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/306 Arrangements where at least part of the apparatus is introduced into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/327 for enhancing the absorption properties of tissue, e.g. by electroporation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Apparatus is provided that includes a parenchymal electrode, configured to be implanted in brain parenchyma of a subject identified as at risk of or suffering from Alzheimer'"'"'s disease; and a ventricular electrode, configured to be implanted in a ventricular system of a brain of the subject. Control circuitry is configured to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear a substance from the brain parenchyma into the ventricular system. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a parenchymal electrode, configured to be implanted in brain parenchyma of a subject identified as at risk of or suffering from Alzheimer'"'"'s disease;

a ventricular electrode, configured to be implanted in a ventricular system of a brain of the subject; and

control circuitry, configured to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear a substance from the brain parenchyma into the ventricular system by applying direct current between the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes using an average voltage of less than 1.2 V, the substance comprising one or more substances selected from the group of substances consisting of;

amyloid beta, tau protein, and metal ions.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substance includes amyloid beta, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear the amyloid beta from the brain parenchyma into the ventricular system.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substance includes tau protein, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear the tau protein from the brain parenchyma into the ventricular system.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear the substance by applying the direct current as non-excitatory current between the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to apply the direct current as a series of pulses.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control circuitry is configured to apply the direct current as the series of pulses having an average pulse duration of between 100 milliseconds and 300 seconds.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to:

measure a current resulting from application of voltage during each of the pulses, and

terminate the pulse upon the measured current falling below a threshold value.

8. A method comprising:

implanting a parenchymal electrode in brain parenchyma of a subject identified as at risk of or suffering from Alzheimer'"'"'s disease;

implanting a ventricular electrode in a ventricular system of a brain of the subject; and

activating control circuitry to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear a substance from the brain parenchyma into the ventricular system by applying direct current between the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes using an average voltage of less than 1.2 V, the substance comprising one or more substances selected from the group of substances consisting of;

amyloid beta, tau protein, and metal ions.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the substance includes amyloid beta, and wherein activating the control circuitry comprises activating the control circuitry to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear the amyloid beta from the brain parenchyma into the ventricular system.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the substance includes tau protein, and wherein activating the control circuitry comprises activating the control circuitry to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear the tau protein from the brain parenchyma into the ventricular system.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein activating the control circuitry to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes comprises activating the control circuitry to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes to clear the substance by applying the direct current as non-excitatory current between the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein activating the control circuitry to apply the direct current comprises activating the control circuitry to apply the direct current as a series of pulses.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein activating the control circuitry to apply the direct current as the series of pulses comprises activating the control circuitry to apply the direct current as the series of pulses having an average pulse duration of between 100 milliseconds and 300 seconds.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein activating the control circuitry to drive the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes comprises activating the control unit to:

measure a current resulting from application of voltage during each of the pulses, and

terminate the pulse upon the measured current falling below a threshold value.

15. The method according to claim 8, wherein implanting the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes comprises implanting the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes such that an area of build-up of the substance is between the parenchymal and the ventricular electrodes.

16. The method according to claim 8, wherein implanting the parenchymal electrode comprises implanting the parenchymal electrode such that an area of build-up of the substance is between the parenchymal electrode and an area of the ventricular system nearest the area of build-up.