Device for non-invasive neuro-stimulation by means of multichannel bursts

An apparatus for stimulating neurons, the apparatus comprising:

• a non-invasive stimulation unit configured to generate of first stimuli in a plurality of stimulation channels, such that the stimulation unit the first stimuli stimulate a neuron population in at least one of a brain and a spinal cord of a patient by the plurality of stimulation channels at respective different points in at least one of a brain and the spinal cord;
• a measurement unit configured to record measurement signals that represent a neuronal activity of the neuron population stimulated with the first stimuli;
• and
• a control unit that controls the stimulation unit to generate repetitive bursts that each comprise a plurality of second stimuli in each of the stimulation channels, wherein the bursts generated in different stimulation channels of the plurality of stimulation channels are delayed in time with respect to one another,
• wherein the stimulation unit is configured to generate the repetitive bursts such that the repetitive bursts do not reset a phase of the neuronal activity of the respective stimulated neurons,
• wherein the control unit is configured to determine whether the repetitive bursts generated by the stimulation unit do not reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons based on the measurement signals,
• wherein, when the control unit determines that the repetitive bursts reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons, the control unit is further configured to control the stimulation unit to subsequently generate the bursts having a reduced stimulation strength that is continued until the control unit determines that the generated bursts do not reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons.

A method for stimulating neurons, the method comprising:

• generating first stimuli in a plurality of stimulation channels of a non-invasive stimulation unit, wherein the first stimuli stimulate a neuron population in at least one of a brain and a spinal cord of a patient by the plurality of stimulation channels at respective different points in at least one of a brain and the spinal cord;
• recording measurement signals that represent a neuronal activity of the neuron population stimulated with the first stimuli;
• generating repetitive bursts in each of the stimulation channels by the stimulation unit, with the repetitive burst each comprising a plurality of second stimuli;
• delaying the bursts generated in different stimulation channels of the plurality of stimulation channels in time with respect to one another;
• determining, based on the measurement signals, whether the repetitive bursts generated by the stimulation unit do not reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons;
• when the bursts are determined to have reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons, subsequently generating bursts in the stimulation unit that have a reduced stimulation strength;
• and
• continuing to reduce the stimulation strength of the bursts by the stimulation unit until the bursts are determined to not reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons.

A computer program product for execution in a data processing system, the computer program product including instructions for:

• generating first stimuli in a plurality of stimulation channels of a non-invasive stimulation unit, wherein the first stimuli stimulate a neuron population in at least one of a brain and a spinal cord of a patient by the plurality of stimulation channels at respective different points in at least one of a brain and the spinal cord;
• recording measurement signals that represent a neuronal activity of the neuron population stimulated with the first stimuli;
• generating repetitive bursts in each of the stimulation channels by the stimulation unit, with the repetitive burst each comprising a plurality of second stimuli;
• delaying the bursts generated in different stimulation channels of the plurality of stimulation channels in time with respect to one another;
• determining, based on the measurement signals, whether the repetitive bursts generated by the stimulation unit do not reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons;
• when the bursts are determined to have reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons, subsequently generating bursts in the stimulation unit that have a reduced stimulation strength;
• and
• continuing to reduce the stimulation strength of the bursts by the stimulation unit until the bursts are determined to not reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons.