Back to results
US 9,872,996 B2Granted
System and method for transcranial current loop brain stimulation
OwnerJames William Phillipsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and device is described, which provides electrical stimulation to the brain of a person, where the device comprises an external portion and at least one implantable portion. The external portion provides the energy source for stimulation to the implantable portions. The implantable portions provide at least two conductive paths through the skull and use the skull's high impedance to generate a current loop with the focus of stimulation lying in the current path.
Claims19
A device for electrical stimulation of a person's brain, the device comprising:
- a first conductor implantable through the person's skull at a first location and configured to have a subcutaneous portion over the skull and a suberanial portion which at least partially penetrates the skull to electrically couple with the brain;
- a second conductor implantable through the person's skull at a second location spaced-apart from the first location and configured to have a subcutaneous portion over the skull and a subcranial portion which at least partially penetrates the skull to electrically couple with the brain;
- an alternating current generator coupled to one of the first and second conductors, wherein the first and second conductors provide a conductive path through the skull in said two locations and the skull's high impedance completes a current loop which allows current to flow interior and exterior to the skull and through at least one stimulation target, wherein the first conductor comprises one implantable portion with a conductive coil and the second conductor comprises one implantable portion without a conductive coil, wherein the implantable portion without the conductive coil provides a conductive path through the skull.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.