Optogenetic System and Method
AssigneeUniversity of Newcastle Upon Tyne
InventorsAndrew Jackson, Mark Cunningham, Stuart Baker, Patrick Degenaar
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Abstract
An optogenetic system and method for preventing or halting seizures. The system and method use a sensor for monitoring the activity of a neural network containing a group of target neurons, and generating an input signal indicative of said activity, the target neurons being excitatory neurons. Excitatory stimulation is delivered in the form of an optical signal by an optical stimulator to the target neurons, the optical signal being determined based on the input signal, to reduce the overall activity of the target neurons.
Claims31
An optogenetic system for preventing or halting seizures, the system including:
- a sensor for monitoring the activity of a neural network containing a group of target neurons, and generating an input signal indicative of said activity, the target neurons being excitatory neurons;
- an optical stimulator for delivering an excitatory stimulus in the form of an optical signal to the target neurons, the optical signal determined based on the input signal, to reduce the overall activity of the target neurons.
A control device for use in an optogenetic system for preventing or halting seizures, the control device having:
- an input for receiving an input signal indicative of the activity of a neural network containing a group of target neurons, the target neurons being excitatory neurons;
- a processor for determining an output signal based on the input signal;
- and
- an output for transmitting the output signal to an optical stimulator;
- wherein:
- the output signal is determined such that when the optical signal is delivered to the target neurons, the overall activity of the target neurons is reduced.
A method of halting or preventing seizures, the method involving the steps of:
- monitoring the activity of a neural network containing a group of target neurons, the target neurons being excitatory neurons;
- generating an input signal indicative of the activity;
- determining, based on the input signal, an optical signal for stimulating the target neurons, such that when delivered to the target neurons, the overall activity of the target neurons is reduced;
- delivering an excitatory stimulus to the target neurons in the form of the optical signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.