Apparatus and method for calibrating non-invasive mechanical tactile and/or thermal nerve stimulation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for stimulating neurons comprising: a non-invasive stimulation unit for applying mechanical tactile and / or thermal stimuli to the surface of a patient's body, the stimulation stimulating neuronal activity with pathological synchronization and oscillation the neuron of the neuron; the measurement unit for receiving the measurement signal reflecting the neuronal activity of the stimulated neuron; and the control and analysis unit for controlling the stimulation unit and analyzing the measurement signal, wherein the control and analysis unit is designed to: control the stimulation unit , making it sweep across at least a portion of the patient's body surface along a path and periodically applying a stimulus there; by means of the measurement signal received in response to the periodic application of the stimulus, at least two are selected along the path on the patient's body surface Regions in which the phase synchronization between the periodic application of stimulation and the neuronal activity of the stimulated neuron respectively has a local maximum; and the stimulation unit is controlled such that it applies in at least two selected regions A time-delayed stimulus that resets the phase of neuronal activity in a stimulated neuron.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a device and method for calibrating non-invasive mechanical tactile and / or thermal nerve stimulation. Background technique [0002] In patients with neurological or psychiatric disorders (such as Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, epilepsy, dystonia, or obsessive-compulsive disorder), groups of nerve cells in localized areas of the brain are pathological, such as excessively synchronized ,active. In this case, a large number of neurons form synchronized action potentials, ie, the participating neurons fire hypersynchronously. In healthy people, on the other hand, the neurons in these brain regions fire differently, for example in an unrelated manner. [0003] For the treatment of such diseases, stimulation techniques have been developed which counteract the pathologically synchronized neuronal activity in a targeted manner. Here, the “Coordinated Reset (CR)” stimulation is characterized by high therapeutic effica...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

In contrast, in non-invasive stimulation methods, the calibration of the positioning of different non-invasive actuators, such as the positioning of mechanical tactile or thermal stimuli on the skin relative to the body part involved has so far remained a problem.

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