Method and system for combining anatomical connectivity patterns and navigated brain stimulation
AssigneeNexstim Oyj
InventorsTuomas Neuvonen, Henri Hannula
Life of this patent
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Abstract
When operating a brain stimulation device, it is critical to understand and control the network effects associated with the area being targeted for stimulation. The combined system and methods provided herein provides the operator with a real-time view of the brain network potentially affected by the stimulation. The system and method are capable of increasing the accuracy of diagnostic information. Additionally, disclosed herein are a system and method for combining navigated brain stimulation data and anatomical data with brain connectivity data for an individual.
Claims19
A method for enabling transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatment, said method comprising the steps of:
- acquiring an anatomical image of a brain of a subject,
- acquiring functional data of the brain of the subject,
- coregistering at least a portion of the functional data, said portion being associated with a portion of interest of the brain, with a corresponding location from the anatomical image in order to form a combined view of the brain, and
- stereotactically aligning the combined view of the brain and a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) stimulation device in real-time,
- selecting a location of the brain to stimulate with a TMS pulse from the TMS stimulation device based on the combined view,
- wherein the location of the brain is selected by:
- (a) stimulating the brain of the subject with the TMS stimulation device to generate a predetermined response in the subject,
- (b) selecting one or more seed locations in the brain that generate the predetermined response,
- (c) determining white matter tracts that extend from the one or more seed locations to a deep and/or distant target utilizing a tractography algorithm, and
- (d) after step (c), further stimulating the brain of the subject with the TMS stimulation device at the one or more seed locations to stimulate the deep and/or distant target,
- wherein, if the step (d) of further stimulating generates a desired response at the deep and/or distant target, treating the brain of the subject with additional stimulation at the one or more seed locations, and
- wherein, if the step (d) of further stimulating does not generate the desired response at the deep and/or distant target, varying at least one of a stimulation parameter, the tractography algorithm, a tractography algorithm parameter, and the one or more seed locations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.