Seizure prediction and neurological disorder treatment

• US 8,600,513 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Inventors: Aur, Dorian, Toyoda, Izumi, Buckmaster, Paul, Bower, Mark R
• Primary Examiner(s): Gedeon, Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): TEJANI, ANKIT D
• Application Number:
  US13/374,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20120150257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36067 Movement disorders, e.g. tremor or Parkinson disease stimulating motor muscle A61N1/36003
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36096 Mood disorders, e.g. depression, anxiety or panic disorder
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36171 Frequency

Abstract

A prediction and stimulation system or method is provided for neurological disorders characterized by a local dysfunction in neuronal activity regulation. An array of electrodes detects neuronal electrical activity of selected brain region. A detection module detects in each electrode changes in electric field and neuronal activity. A prediction module predicts for each electrode abnormal regimes determined by neurological disorder. A neuromodulation module interfaced with the electrodes selects one or more electrodes in the array where a predefined threshold has been exceeded and stimulates the brain region through each of these selected electrodes using an intermittent therapeutic stimulation pattern with a frequency between 150 and 200 Hz. The provided therapy allows for seizure prediction and detection with high accuracy, potential low risk and increased battery life. The flexibility of the method and system allows it to be used in different neurological disorders by tuning the parameters using a calibration procedure.

Claims

1. A prediction and closed-loop stimulation method for neurological dysfunction therapy, comprising:

(a) detecting neuronal electrical activity of a brain region via an array of electrodes, wherein said array of electrodes is adapted to cover a region of dysfunctional neuronal activity of said brain region;

(b) continuously detecting in each of said electrodes periods that last at least 30 seconds with (i) persistent chaotic dynamics in local field potentials, (ii) persistent values of high frequency oscillations in the range of 200-300 Hz within said local field potentials, and (iii) persistent low firing rates close to zero;

(c) predicting for each of said electrodes in said array of electrodes a future occurrence of a neurological dysfunction, wherein said future occurrence of said neurological dysfunction is predicted when a prediction module computes that (j) said persistent chaotic dynamics exceeds a predefined threshold for said persistent chaotic dynamics for said at least 30 seconds, (jj) said persistent values of high frequency oscillations exceeds a predefined threshold for said persistent high frequency oscillations for said at least 30 seconds, (jjj) said persistent low firing rates exceed a predefined threshold defined for said persistent low firing rates for said at least 30 seconds, or (ij) any combination thereof; and

(d) selecting using a neuromodulation module a subset of electrodes from said array of electrodes, wherein said subset of electrodes is defined as said electrodes in said array of electrodes where said future occurrence of said neurological dysfunction was predicted by said prediction module and then prior to an onset of said neurological dysfunction stimulating said brain region through said subset of electrodes selected by said neuromodulation module using an intermittent therapeutic stimulation pattern with a frequency between 150 and 200 Hz.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said intermittent therapeutic stimulation pattern is amplitude and duration modulated.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said predefined thresholds are determined by a calibration phase.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising detecting in each of said electrodes persistent values of low frequency oscillations in the range of 0.01-1 Hz within said local field potentials, and wherein said future occurrence of said dysfunctional neuronal activity is further predicted when said prediction module computes that said persistent values of low frequency oscillations exceeds a predefined threshold for said persistent low frequency oscillations.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electrodes in said array of electrodes have a distance between each other of less than 2 millimeters.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electrodes in said array of electrodes have a distance between each other of 400 to 500 micrometers.