Treatment of an epilepsy-associated disorder

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for treating an epilepsy-associated disorder in a living being by acoustically modulating interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs). The apparatus comprises an electrode set for obtaining an electroencephalogram, an audio output device, and an analysis and control unit configured to detect IEDs and to trigger delivery of an audio signal in temporal dependence on the detected event. In preferred embodiments, the audio signal comprises short bursts of 1/f noise administered with a defined delay, particularly between about one and three seconds after the negative peak of an IED, which has been found to reduce the rate and amplitude of subsequent epileptic discharges. The system is suitable for non-invasive use, including during NonREM sleep, and may improve symptoms associated with childhood epilepsy.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.