METHODS FOR MODIFYING NEURAL TRANSMISSION PATTERNS

• US 20120109020A1
• Filed: 10/26/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Highland Instruments, Inc.,
• Original Assignee: Highland Instruments, Inc.,
• Inventors: Wagner, Timothy Andrew, Eden, Uri Tzvi
• Application Number:
  US13/282,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20120109020A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36014 External stimulators, e.g. with patch electrodes external pacemakers A61N1/3625
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36025 for treating a mental or cerebral condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36053 adapted for vagal stimulation A61N1/36114 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36103 Neuro-rehabilitation; Repair or reorganisation of neural tissue, e.g. after stroke
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36171 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/002 in combination with another treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/006 for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0026 Stimulation of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

The invention generally relates to methods for modifying neural transmission patterns. In certain embodiments, methods of the invention involve noninvasively applying a first type of energy to a region of neural tissue, noninvasively applying a second type of energy to the region of tissue, such that the combined effect modifies a neural transmission pattern between cells of the neural tissue.

Claims

1. A method for modifying neural transmission patterns, the method comprising:

noninvasively applying a first type of energy to a region of neural tissue;

noninvasively applying a second type of energy to the region of tissue, wherein the combined effect modifies a neural transmission pattern between cells of the neural tissue.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the modification is selected from the group consisting of:

establishing a transmission patterns between the cells, strengthening a transmission patterns between the cells, weakening a transmission patterns between the cells, removing a transmission patterns between the cells, and a combination thereof.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein modifying transmission patterns results in long-term potentiation between the cells.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein modifying transmission patterns results in long-term depression between the cells.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the neural tissue is tissue of a structure or multiple structures within the brain or the nervous system selected from the group consisting of:

dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, any component of the basal ganglia, nucleus accumbens, gastric nuclei, brainstem, thalamus, inferior colliculus, superior colliculus, periaqueductal gray, primary motor cortex, supplementary motor cortex, occipital lobe, Brodmann areas 1-48, primary sensory cortex, primary visual cortex, primary auditory cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, cochlea, cranial nerves, cerebellum, frontal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, and sub-cortical structures.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the affect of the modification alters neural function past the duration of stimulation.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first type of energy is selected from the group consisting of:

thermal, optical, mechanical, electromagnetic, and electrical.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second type of energy is selected from the group consisting of:

thermal, optical, mechanical, electromagnetic, and electrical.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first type of energy is an electric field.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the electric field is pulsed.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the electric field is time varying.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the electric field is pulsed a plurality of time, and each pulse may be for a different length of time.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the electric field is time invariant.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second type of energy is a mechanical field.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the mechanical field is generated by an ultrasound device.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the mechanical field is pulsed.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the mechanical field is time varying.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the mechanical field is pulsed a plurality of time, and each pulse may be for a different length of time.

19. A method for modifying neural transmission patterns, the method comprising:

noninvasively applying an electric field to a region of neural tissue; and

noninvasively applying a mechanical field to the region of neural tissue, wherein the combined effect modifies a neural transmission pattern between cells of the neural tissue.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the modification is selected from the group consisting of:

establishing a transmission patterns between the cells, strengthening a transmission patterns between the cells, weakening a transmission patterns between the cells, removing a transmission patterns between the cells, and a combination thereof.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein modifying transmission patterns results in long-term potentiation between the cells.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein modifying transmission patterns results in long-term depression between the cells.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the neural tissue is tissue of a structure or multiple structures within the brain or the nervous system selected from the group consisting of:

dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, any component of the basal ganglia, nucleus accumbens, gastric nuclei, brainstem, thalamus, inferior colliculus, superior colliculus, periaqueductal gray, primary motor cortex, supplementary motor cortex, occipital lobe, Brodmann areas 1-48, primary sensory cortex, primary visual cortex, primary auditory cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, cochlea, cranial nerves, cerebellum, frontal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, and sub-cortical structures.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein the affect of the modification alters neural function past the duration of stimulation.

25. A method for modifying neural transmission patterns, the method comprising:

providing a noninvasive transcranial neural stimulator; and

using the stimulator to modify a neural transmission pattern between cells of neural tissue.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the modification is selected from the group consisting of:

establishing a transmission patterns between the cells, strengthening a transmission patterns between the cells, weakening a transmission patterns between the cells, removing a transmission patterns between the cells, and a combination thereof.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein modifying transmission patterns results in long-term potentiation between the cells.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein modifying transmission patterns results in long-term depression between the cells.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein the neural tissue is tissue of a structure or multiple structures within the brain or the nervous system selected from the group consisting of:

dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, any component of the basal ganglia, nucleus accumbens, gastric nuclei, brainstem, thalamus, inferior colliculus, superior colliculus, periaqueductal gray, primary motor cortex, supplementary motor cortex, occipital lobe, Brodmann areas 1-48, primary sensory cortex, primary visual cortex, primary auditory cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, cochlea, cranial nerves, cerebellum, frontal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, sub-cortical structures, and spinal cord.

30. The method according to claim 25, wherein the affect of the modification alters neural function past the duration of stimulation.