Brain stimulation systems and methods

• US 9,984,584 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2015
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lotus Magnus, LLC
• Original Assignee: Lotus Magnus, LLC
• Inventors: Walter, Timothy, Marar, Uma
• Primary Examiner(s): Mallari, Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOTH, KAREN E
• Application Number:
  US14/844,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20150379878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00571 for achieving a particular surgical effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/378 Visual stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0016 by the smell sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0022 by the tactile sense, e.g. vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 : Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 : for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 : User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/10 : Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/18 : Rapid eye-movements [REM]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/60 : Muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/006 : for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0653 : Organic light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 : Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 : with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 : with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied

Abstract

Systems and methods for brain stimulation.

Claims

1. A stimulation system for stimulating a subject, the system comprising:

a learning component and a consolidation component, wherein the learning component comprises;

a learning visual stimulation apparatus comprising at least one first light source for delivering a visual stimulus selected by the subject to the subject while the subject is awake and learning a specific task; and

one or more self-actuation input devices operably coupled to the learning visual stimulation apparatus and configured for self-actuation by the subject to deliver the selected visual stimulus from the learning visual stimulation apparatus to the subject when the subject is awake and learning the specific task;

and wherein the consolidation component comprises;

a monitoring apparatus comprising a sensor for monitoring the sleep state of the subject while the subject is asleep;

a consolidation visual stimulation apparatus comprising at least one second light source for delivering the selected visual stimulus to the subject; and

a controller operably coupled to the monitoring apparatus to receive input regarding the sleep state of the subject from the monitoring apparatus and operably coupled to the consolidation visual stimulation apparatus to operate the consolidation visual stimulation apparatus, wherein the controller utilizes the input from the monitoring apparatus to determine when the subject is in a particular sleep state, the particular sleep state being selected based on the specific task being learned by the subject while the subject was awake, and further wherein the controller operates the consolidation visual stimulation apparatus to deliver the selected visual stimulus to the subject during the particular sleep state.

2. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the learning component and the consolidation component are components of a single integral unit.

3. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring apparatus comprises at least one of an electroencephalography apparatus, an electromyography apparatus, or an electrooculography apparatus.

4. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the stimulation system further comprises a self-contained patch and adhesive to attach the self-contained patch to the subject, wherein the monitoring apparatus, the consolidation visual stimulation apparatus, and the controller are located on the self-contained patch.

5. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the learning visual stimulation apparatus and the consolidation component comprise:

a memory for storing one or more selected visual stimulations; and

one or more output devices, wherein the one or more output devices deliver the one or more selected visual stimulations.

6. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the stimulation system further comprises a configuration apparatus to configure the stimulation system, wherein the configuration apparatus comprises:

a processing apparatus;

a first input interface coupled to the processing apparatus to receive input from the subject; and

an input/output interface coupled to the processing apparatus to transmit data to the controller of the stimulation system.

7. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring apparatus is configured for detecting electroencephalography activity using one or more electrodes.

8. A stimulation system for stimulating a subject, the system comprising:

a learning component and a consolidation component, wherein the learning component comprises;

a learning somatosensory stimulation apparatus comprising at least one first stimulation contact for delivering a somatosensory stimulus selected by the subject to the subject while the subject is awake and learning a specific task; and

one or more self-actuation input devices operably coupled to the learning somatosensory stimulation apparatus and configured for self-actuation by the subject to deliver the selected somatosensory stimulus from the learning somatosensory stimulation apparatus to the subject when the subject is awake and learning the specific task;

and wherein the consolidation component comprises;

a monitoring apparatus comprising a sensor for monitoring the sleep state of the subject while the subject is asleep;

a consolidation somatosensory stimulation apparatus comprising at least one second stimulation contact for delivering the selected somatosensory stimulus to the subject; and

a controller operably coupled to the monitoring apparatus to receive input regarding the sleep state of the subject from the monitoring apparatus and operably coupled to the consolidation somatosensory stimulation apparatus to operate the consolidation somatosensory stimulation apparatus, wherein the controller utilizes the input from the monitoring apparatus to determine when the subject is in a particular sleep state, the particular sleep state being selected based on the specific task being learned by the subject while the subject was awake, and further wherein the controller operates the consolidation somatosensory stimulation apparatus to deliver the selected somatosensory stimulus to the subject during the particular sleep state.

9. The stimulation system of claim 8, wherein the learning component and the consolidation component are components of a single integral unit.

10. The stimulation system claim 8, wherein the monitoring apparatus comprises at least one of an electroencephalography apparatus, an electromyography apparatus, or an electrooculography apparatus.

11. The stimulation system of claim 8, wherein the stimulation system further comprises a self-contained patch and adhesive to attach the self-contained patch to the subject, wherein the monitoring apparatus, the consolidation somatosensory stimulation apparatus, and the controller are located on the self-contained patch.

12. The stimulation system of claim 8, wherein the learning somatosensory stimulation apparatus and the consolidation component comprise:

a memory for storing one or more selected somatosensory stimulations; and

one or more output devices, wherein the one or more output devices deliver the one or more selected somatosensory stimulations.

13. The stimulation system of claim 8, wherein the stimulation system further comprises a configuration apparatus to configure the stimulation system, wherein the configuration apparatus comprises:

a processing apparatus;

a first input interface coupled to the processing apparatus to receive input from the subject; and

an input/output interface coupled to the processing apparatus to transmit data to the controller of the stimulation system.

14. The stimulation system of claim 8, wherein the monitoring apparatus is configured for detecting electroencephalography activity using one or more electrodes.

15. A method of stimulating a subject'"'"'s brain during sleep, the method comprising:

providing a stimulation apparatus for delivering to a subject a stimulus selected by the subject;

providing a monitoring apparatus to monitor the state of the subject;

positioning the stimulation apparatus where the subject can receive the stimulations;

delivering the selected stimulus from the stimulation apparatus to the subject during one or more periods when the subject is awake and learning a specific task, wherein the selected stimulus is delivered in response to self-actuation of a self-actuation input device operably coupled to the stimulation apparatus, wherein the self-actuation input device is self-actuated by the subject when the subject is awake and learning the specific task; and

delivering the selected stimulus from the stimulation apparatus to the subject during one or more periods when the subject is asleep and is in at least one of Stage I, Stage II, Stage III, or Stage IV sleep.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the selected stimulus is selected based on the specific task being learned.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the monitoring apparatus comprises an electroencephalography apparatus to measure electrical activity of the subject'"'"'s brain.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein electrical activity in the subject'"'"'s brain indicative of slow wave sleep occurs during each period of the one or more periods when the subject is asleep and in at least one of Stage I, Stage II, Stage III, or Stage IV sleep.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein electrical activity in the subject'"'"'s brain indicative of an increase or an impending increase in slope of a waveform of the electrical activity occurs during each period of the one or more periods when the subject is asleep and in at least one of Stage I, Stage II, Stage III, or Stage IV sleep.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein electrical activity in the subject'"'"'s brain indicative of sleep spindles occurs during each period of the one or more periods when the subject is asleep and in at least one of Stage I, Stage II, Stage III, or Stage IV sleep.

21. A stimulation system for stimulating a subject, the system comprising:

a visual stimulation apparatus comprising at least one first light source for delivering a visual stimulus selected by the subject to the subject while the subject is awake and learning a specific task, and while the subject is asleep; and

a learning component and a consolidation component, wherein the learning component comprises;

one or more self-actuation input devices operably coupled to the visual stimulation apparatus and configured for self-actuation by the subject to deliver the selected visual stimulus from the visual stimulation apparatus to the subject when the subject is awake and learning the specific task;

and wherein the consolidation component comprises;

a monitoring apparatus comprising a sensor for monitoring the sleep state of the subject while the subject is asleep; and

a controller operably coupled to the monitoring apparatus to receive input regarding the sleep state of the subject from the monitoring apparatus and operably coupled to the visual stimulation apparatus to operate the visual stimulation apparatus, wherein the controller utilizes the input from the monitoring apparatus to determine when the subject is in a particular sleep state, the particular sleep state being selected based on the specific task being learned by the subject while the subject was awake, and further wherein the controller operates the visual stimulation apparatus to deliver the selected visual stimulus to the subject during the particular sleep state.

22. A stimulation system for stimulating a subject, the system comprising:

a somatosensory stimulation apparatus comprising at least one first stimulation contact for delivering a somatosensory stimulus selected by the subject to the subject while the subject is awake and learning a specific task, and while the subject is asleep; and

a learning component and a consolidation component, wherein the learning component comprises;

one or more sell-actuation input devices operably coupled to the somatosensory stimulation apparatus and configured for self-actuation by the subject to deliver the selected somatosensory stimulus from the somatosensory stimulation apparatus to the subject when the subject is awake and learning the specific task; and

wherein the consolidation component comprises;

a monitoring apparatus comprising a sensor for monitoring the sleep state of the subject while the subject is asleep; and

a controller operably coupled to the monitoring apparatus to receive input regarding the sleep state of the subject from the monitoring apparatus and operably coupled to the somatosensory stimulation apparatus to operate the somatosensory stimulation apparatus, wherein the controller utilizes the input from the monitoring apparatus to determine when the subject is in a particular sleep state, the particular sleep state being selected based on the specific task being learned by the subject while the subject was awake, and further wherein the controller operates the somatosensory stimulation apparatus to deliver the selected somatosensory stimulus to the subject during the particular sleep state.