US 10,946,196 B2Granted

System for variably configurable, adaptable electrode arrays and effectuating software

AssigneeStimScience Inc.

InventorMichael P. Weisend

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Abstract

Electrical non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) delivers weak electrical currents to the brain via electrodes that are affixed to the scalp. NIBS can excite or inhibit the brain in areas that are impacted by that electrical current during and for a short time following stimulation. Electrical NIBS can be used to change brain structure in terms of increasing white matter integrity as measured by diffusion tensor imaging. Together the electrical NIBS can induce changes in brain structure and function. The present methods and devices are adaptable to and configurable for facilitating the enhancement of brain performance, and the treatment of neurological diseases and tissues. The present methods and devices are advantageously designed to utilize modern electrodes deployed with, inter alia, various spatial arrangements, polarities, and current strengths to target brain areas or networks to thereby enhance performance or deliver therapeutic interventions.

Claims32

Dependent claims

An electrode assembly, comprising:

at least one electrode, wherein each electrode comprises an opening therethrough;
a housing for positioning the at least one electrode relative to a tissue region, wherein a non-conductive material coupled to the at least one electrode extends from a bottom surface of the housing and defines a cavity such that the opening defined through the at least one electrode is open to the cavity, and wherein the housing is a reconfigurable housing comprising a plurality of components each having a shape that is a sector of a circular shape, the plurality of components collectively forming the circular shape, and the plurality of components being configured to removably couple the at least one electrode to other electrodes to form one of a plurality of arrangements;
and
a controller in electrical communication with the at least one electrode,
wherein the controller is programmed to apply a stimulation through the at least one electrode over a ramp up period, a treatment period, and a ramp down period, and
wherein the controller is further programmed to apply the stimulation to one or more locations of a patient scalp surface identified as regions of maximal current density corresponding to a pattern of electrical activity modeled from a difference image, wherein a placement of the at least one electrode is determined based, at least in part, on the difference image.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/290,391Filed 11 Oct 2016 · continuation in part
Priority: 16 Nov 2012
Published: US 2017/0087367 A130 Mar 2017
Granted: 16 Mar 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification18 codes

A61N 1/36025
External stimulators, e.g. with patch electrodes: for treating a mental or cerebral condition
A61B 5/0075
Using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence: by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy,…
A61B 5/245
Detecting biomagnetic fields, e.g. magnetic fields produced by bioelectric currents: specially adapted for magnetoencephalographic [MEG] signals
A61B 5/291
Specially adapted for particular uses: for electroencephalography [EEG]

Family

Application61/796,634Us provisional application · filed 16 Nov 2012
Application61/962,698Us provisional application · filed 14 Nov 2013
Application14/083,379Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 18 Nov 2013
US 2017/0087367 A1Pre-grant publication · published 30 Mar 2017
US 2016/0206871 A1Published application
US 2016/0361534 A9Published application
US 10,946,196 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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