Directional electrode and nerve stimulation system

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of nerve stimulation, and discloses a directional electrode and a nerve stimulation system. The directional electrode comprises an electrode main body; the electrode contact is arranged on the electrode main body, the electrode contact is provided with a plurality of contact surfaces, each contact surface can be independently used as a stimulation source and / or a signal acquisition point, and at least two contact surfaces in the plurality of contact surfaces respectively face different directions. The electrode contacts have a plurality of stimulation directions and / or a plurality of signal acquisition directions. According to the directional electrode disclosed by the embodiment of the invention, a more comprehensive coverage range of a stimulating electric field and / or signal acquisition can be provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of neural stimulation technology. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a directional electrode and a neural stimulation system. Background Art

[0002] Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a treatment method that sends electrical pulses to specific areas of the brain through implanted electrodes. It has been proven to be effective in treating a variety of neurological diseases and mental disorders. In recent years, with the progress of medical research, people have gradually realized that the direction of the stimulation point after the electrode is implanted in the brain and the stimulation pulse have a significant impact on the treatment effect.

[0003] There are two main types of existing electrode structures: ring electrodes and directional electrodes. Figure 1 As shown in Figure (a), the stimulation end of the traditional ring electrode has a ring electrode contact 101, and its stimulation direction cannot be controlled, making it difficult to achieve precise stimulation and regulation. In addition, when the ring electrode is used for EEG signal collection, the signal collection range is limited, and the direction and source of the collected EEG signal cannot be determined. Figure 1 As shown in Figures (b) and (c) of FIG. 1 , the stimulation end of the conventional directional electrode (or segmented electrode, directional electrode) has a radially segmented electrode sheet (or electrode contact) 102, so that it has multiple controllable stimulation directions. However, although the electrode sheet 102 of the existing directional electrode can have different shapes and distributions, the direction of its stimulation point is still limited to the radial direction of the electrode, and when used for EEG signal collection, only EEG signals from the radial direction of the electrode can be collected.

[0004] In addition, at least two electrode contacts need to be set on the existing annular electrodes and directional electrodes to form a stimulation electric field as a negative contact and a positive contact, or to collect EEG signals based on the potential difference between the two electrode contacts. Therefore, the number of electrode contacts on the existing annular electrodes and directional electrodes determines the coverage of their stimulation electric field and signal collection. However, the position on an electrode is limited, and the number of electrode contacts that can be arranged is limited, thereby limiting the coverage of its stimulation electric field and signal collection.

[0005] In view of this, there is an urgent need to provide a new electrode solution for neural stimulation so as to provide a more comprehensive coverage of the stimulation electric field and / or signal acquisition without being limited by the number of contacts. Summary of the invention

[0006] In order to at least solve one or more of the technical problems mentioned above, the present disclosure proposes a solution of a directional electrode and a neural stimulation system in multiple aspects.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a directional electrode, comprising: an electrode body; and an electrode contact mounted on the electrode body, wherein the electrode contact has a plurality of contact surfaces, each of which can independently serve as a stimulation source and / or a signal collection point, and at least two of the plurality of contact surfaces are respectively oriented in different directions, so that the electrode contact has a plurality of stimulation directions and / or a plurality of signal collection directions.

[0008] In some embodiments, at least some of the multiple contact surfaces of the electrode contacts are convexly and / or concavely disposed on the electrode body.

[0009] In other embodiments, the directional electrode includes a plurality of electrode contacts, and the plurality of electrode contacts are convexly and / or concavely disposed on the electrode body.

[0010] In some embodiments, the plurality of contact surfaces include a bottom surface and at least two side surfaces, wherein an angle between each side surface and the bottom surface is an obtuse angle.

[0011] In other embodiments, the multiple contact surfaces are distributed in a honeycomb shape.

[0012] In some other embodiments, the plurality of contact surfaces are distributed in a ring shape, so that the back surfaces of the plurality of contact surfaces are surrounded to form a hollow structure, which is convenient for the electrode body to be mounted therein.

[0013] In some embodiments, the electrode contact further comprises: a chamfered surface disposed at a connection between the plurality of contact surfaces and / or at an exposed edge of one or more contact surfaces.

[0014] In other embodiments, there is a gap between adjacent sides of at least two adjacent contact surfaces among the plurality of contact surfaces, and / or an insulating isolation layer is provided.

[0015] In other embodiments, the multiple contact surfaces are all planes; or at least one of the multiple contact surfaces is a curved surface; or at least one of the multiple contact surfaces has an uneven surface structure.

[0016] In a second aspect, the present disclosure provides a neural stimulation system, comprising the directional electrode described in any one of the second aspects of the present disclosure.

[0017] In some embodiments, the neural stimulation system further comprises a stimulator, and each contact surface of the electrode contacts in the directional electrode is independently connected to the stimulator.

[0018] In other embodiments, the neural stimulation system further includes: a control unit for selectively activating one or more contact surfaces of at least one electrode contact of the directional electrode according to the relative position of the directional electrode and the target stimulation area.

[0019] In some further embodiments, the control unit is further used to: measure the action potential caused by the stimulation generated by each contact surface or a combination of contact surfaces; determine the contact surface of effective stimulation based on the measured action potential; and select the determined contact surface of effective stimulation for subsequent stimulation.

[0020] In some embodiments, the control unit is further used to: perform weight distribution of stimulation intensity on different contact surfaces of the electrode contacts to reduce stimulation to non-target areas.

[0021] Through the directional electrode and neural stimulation system solution provided above, the disclosed embodiment provides a directional electrode having an electrode contact with multiple contact surfaces installed on the electrode body, and each contact surface can independently serve as a stimulation source and / or a signal collection point, and the multiple contact surfaces face different directions, so that one electrode contact can have multiple stimulation directions and / or multiple signal collection directions. The directional electrode can provide a more comprehensive, three-dimensional electric field line shape and / or signal collection range without relying on the number of electrode contacts. It can not only activate more neurons of different structures more timely and effectively when emitting stimulation signals, improve the efficiency and accuracy of neural stimulation, but also facilitate the collection of EEG signals in more directions, so as to more comprehensively analyze and identify brain activities, and more accurately locate the source and direction of neural activities. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] By reading the detailed description below with reference to the accompanying drawings, the above and other objects, features and advantages of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will become readily understood. In the accompanying drawings, several embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in an exemplary and non-limiting manner, and the same or corresponding reference numerals represent the same or corresponding parts, wherein:

[0023] Figure 1 Schematic diagrams showing multiple existing electrode structures;

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the effect of a neuron's orientation on the charge it receives;

[0025] Figure 3 Schematic diagram showing the principle that irregularities in axon shape in an electric field can lead to unexpected axon excitation;

[0026] Figure 4a shows a front schematic view of a directional electrode according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 4b Shows Figure 4a A schematic top view of the directional electrode shown;

[0028] Figure 4cShow Figure 4a A schematic side view of the directional electrode shown;

[0029] Figure 4d A schematic top view of a directional electrode in which an electrode contact is recessed in an electrode body according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 5a A schematic front view of a directional electrode according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0031] Figure 5b Show Figure 5a A schematic top view of a directional electrode is shown;

[0032] Figure 5c Show Figure 5a Schematic diagrams of some application scenarios of directional electrodes shown;

[0033] Figure 5d A partial side view schematic diagram showing a directional electrode in which a plurality of electrode contacts are recessed in an electrode body according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 5e A schematic diagram showing a directional electrode in which a plurality of electrode contacts are respectively concavely arranged and convexly arranged according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 5f A schematic diagram showing a directional electrode in which a portion of the contact surface is recessed on the electrode body in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 5g Schematic diagram showing directional electrodes with multiple contact surfaces concavely and convexly arranged on an electrode body in other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 6a A schematic diagram showing electrode contacts with multiple contact surfaces distributed in a honeycomb pattern in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0038] Figure 6b Shows installation Figure 6a Schematic diagram of directional electrodes with electrode contacts shown;

[0039] Figure 7a A schematic diagram showing a directional electrode including electrode contacts with a plurality of contact surfaces distributed in a ring shape according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0040] Figure 7b Show Figure 7a A top cross-sectional view of the directional electrode shown;

[0041] Figure 8a A schematic diagram showing an electrode contact including a chamfered surface according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0042] Figure 8b Shows installation as Figure 8a Schematic diagram of directional electrodes with electrode contacts shown;

[0043] Figure 8c Show Figure 8b A top cross-sectional view of the directional electrode shown;

[0044] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram showing electrode contacts according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0045] Fig.10a A schematic block diagram showing a neural stimulation system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0046] Fig.10b A schematic block diagram showing a neural stimulation system according to other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0047] Fig.11 A partial schematic diagram of a directional electrode according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0049] It should be understood that the terms "include" and "comprising" used in the specification and claims of the present disclosure indicate the presence of described features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0050] It should also be understood that the terms used in this disclosure are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the disclosure. As used in this disclosure and claims, the singular forms of "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be further understood that the term "and / or" used in this disclosure and claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, including these combinations.

[0051] As used in this specification and claims, the term "if" may be interpreted as "when" or "upon" or "in response to determining" or "in response to detecting," depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase "if it is determined" or "if [described condition or event] is detected" may be interpreted as meaning "upon determination" or "in response to determining" or "upon detection of [described condition or event]" or "in response to detecting [described condition or event]," depending on the context.

[0052] The inventors have found that the electrode contacts of the existing annular electrodes and directional electrodes are all smooth and flat sheet structures. This is because the current designs and improvements to the electrode contacts are based on the ideal state that the direction of the neuronal axon structure is smooth and regular. However, studies have found that axons branch repeatedly at the near-terminal end, and their ends can form complex structures. In addition, some axons have the thinnest and irregular caliber in the deep area. These studies have shown that although axons may be relatively uniform in some parts, they are not always smooth and regular as a whole, and their direction is unpredictable.

[0053] Further research has found that effective stimulation in DBS requires depolarization of neurons. In order to depolarize neurons, electric charges must be transferred to them to change the potential on the neuronal cell membrane, thereby affecting the voltage-gated ion conduction channel. Therefore, the direction of the electric field formed by the electric charge and the neuronal cell membrane is crucial. The charge flows from the negative electrode contact to the positive electrode contact, and the neuronal cell membrane perpendicular to the electric field line from the negative electrode contact receives the charge, thereby affecting the neuronal transmembrane potential and even depolarizing the neuronal cell membrane to produce an action potential. Neurons parallel to the electric field lines will not receive the charge, so no action potential will be generated. For ease of understanding, the following is combined with Figure 2 and Figure 3 Provide explanation.

[0054] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the effect of the orientation of a neuron on the charge it receives. Figure 2 As shown in , when DBS outputs a stimulation signal, negatively charged ions (such as Figure 2 The negative charge on the surface of axon A is shown in the water drop-shaped pattern in the figure (shown in the figure). When the neuron cell membrane runs along the electric field lines perpendicular to the ion flow (for example, when the direction of axon A of the neuron is perpendicular to the direction of the negative charge on the electric field lines), it can be considered that the negative charge accumulates on the surface of axon A. When enough negative charge accumulates on the surface of axon A, the neuron cell membrane depolarizes beyond a certain threshold, and axon A will generate an action potential. When axon B runs parallel to the negative charge, the negative charge will not accumulate on the neuron cell membrane but will continue to flow through the neuron cell membrane. Therefore, the charge will not accumulate on the surface of axon B, the neuron cell membrane will not depolarize, and no action potential will be generated.

[0055] Figure 3 Schematic diagram showing the principle that the irregularity of axon shape in an electric field leads to unexpected excitation of axons. Figure 3 As shown in , in this example, the axon 301 runs roughly parallel to the electric field lines and charge flow. Such a run would not normally generate an action potential. However, since the axon 301 is irregular, having an "S" shaped curve, a small portion 302 of the axon 301 is relatively perpendicular to the electric field lines. Negative charge can accumulate in this small portion 302, allowing the cell membrane to depolarize. If the depolarization is sufficient, an action potential may be generated, which may be conducted through the rest of the axon 301.

[0056] Based on the above analysis, it can be seen that although the direction of the electric field lines relative to neurons (usually axons) is very important, due to the irregularity of the shape of neuronal axons, the direction of the electric field lines that can depolarize neurons is difficult to predict. This is also a difficult problem that needs to be overcome in this field. When the existing stimulating electrodes are implanted in the target area, they do not take into account the relationship characteristics between the direction and structure of the neurons in the target area and the direction of the electric field lines. Therefore, it is very likely that the direction of the neurons near the electrode contacts is mostly consistent with the direction of the electric field lines. In order to generate action potentials, the current or voltage must be increased, which will cause damage to human tissue and is not conducive to energy saving. In addition, the sheet electrode contacts of the existing stimulating electrodes make the direction of the electric field lines formed by the electrodes single, cannot be flexibly adjusted, and are difficult to achieve effective stimulation in a short time.

[0057] Based on this, the present disclosure aims to provide a directional electrode with a three-dimensional structure of electrode contacts, which can generate more stimulation directions, thereby forming electric field lines with more shapes and a wider distribution range, increasing the flexibility of the configuration of the stimulation electric field shape, and increasing the effectiveness of the charge acting on neurons, so as to activate more neurons with different structures and directions; it can also collect EEG signals in more directions and cover a larger signal collection range. The specific implementation methods of the present disclosure are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0058] Figure 4a A front schematic diagram of a directional electrode according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 4b Shows Figure 4a Schematic top view of the directional electrode shown. Figure 4c Show Figure 4a Schematic side view of the directional electrode shown. Figure 4a to Figure 4cAs shown in , the directional electrode 500 may include an electrode body 501 and an electrode contact 400 mounted on the electrode body 501. The electrode contact 400 may have multiple contact surfaces (e.g., the bottom surface 401 and two side surfaces 402 shown in the figure), wherein each contact surface may independently serve as a stimulation source and / or a signal collection point, and at least two of the multiple contact surfaces face different directions, respectively, so that the electrode contact 400 has multiple stimulation directions and / or multiple signal collection directions.

[0059] The electrode contact 400 is usually installed at one end of the electrode body 501 to serve as the stimulation end and / or signal acquisition end of the directional electrode 500, and the other end of the electrode body 501 is used to connect to the stimulator / pulse generator / signal acquisition device to transmit the stimulation signal and / or the collected physiological electrical signal (such as the EEG signal). The electrode body 501 can be elongated, and the electrode contact 400 can be installed on the outer surface of the electrode body 501. In some embodiments, the electrode body 501 can include a shell, and the electrode contact 400 can be installed on the shell. In other embodiments, the electrode body 501 can also include structures such as a catheter (such as a TPU tube), a guide, or a support member, which is used to provide support and channels for the wires connected to each contact surface.

[0060] The directional electrode 500 may include one or more electrode contacts, at least one of the one or more electrode contacts may have multiple contact faces, or each of the one or more electrode contacts may have multiple contact faces. Each contact face of the electrode contact 400 having multiple contact faces may be independently connected to the stimulator / pulse generator / signal acquisition device by, for example, connecting an independent wire (or a transmission medium with a signal transmission function such as a metal wire), so that each contact face of the electrode contact 400 can be independently controlled as an independent stimulation source and / or signal acquisition point, so that each contact face can independently set stimulation parameters (including stimulation intensity, stimulation duration, amplitude, frequency, etc.) and / or acquisition parameters (including, for example, acquisition duration, sampling rate, etc.).

[0061] The stimulation source in this article refers to the source of stimulation points that send stimulation signals to neurons. The signal acquisition point refers to the acquisition point for collecting physiological electrical signals. According to such a setting, multiple contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 can send stimulation signals at the same time or at different times, and multiple contact surfaces can send the same or different stimulation signals. For example, in some embodiments, a part of the contact surfaces of the multiple contact surfaces can send stimulation signals, and another part of the contact surfaces may not send stimulation signals. Multiple contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 can collect physiological electrical signals at the same time or at different times, and multiple contact surfaces can collect physiological electrical signals according to the same or different acquisition parameters. For example, in some embodiments, a part of the contact surfaces of the multiple contact surfaces can collect physiological electrical signals, and another part of the contact surfaces may not collect physiological electrical signals. For example, in other embodiments, a part of the contact surfaces of the multiple contact surfaces are used to send stimulation signals, and another part of the contact surfaces can be used to collect physiological electrical signals, so that physiological electrical signals can be collected simultaneously during the implementation of neural stimulation, which is conducive to real-time monitoring of the stimulation effect.

[0062] In some embodiments, the material of the multiple contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 may all be metal. In other embodiments, at least two of the multiple contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 may be directly connected or indirectly connected. In still other embodiments, none of the multiple contact surfaces may be connected. In some embodiments, the shapes and sizes of the multiple contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 may be the same or different. In other embodiments, the multiple contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 may all be polygonal.

[0063] Furthermore, if Figure 4b As shown in the figure, multiple contact surfaces can be oriented in different directions respectively, and can independently serve as stimulation sources and / or signal collection points, so that the electrode contact 400 has multiple independently controllable stimulation directions and / or multiple independently controllable signal collection directions. For example, the bottom surface 401 in the figure faces the first direction F1, and the two side surfaces 402 face the second direction F2 and the third direction F3 respectively, and the first direction F1, the second direction F2 and the third direction F3 are different directions, so that the electrode contact 400 has at least three stimulation directions and / or three signal collection directions of the first direction F1, the second direction F2 and the third direction F3.

[0064] In some embodiments, the angle between at least two adjacent contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 may be an obtuse angle, a right angle, or an acute angle. Compared with an acute angle or a right angle, an obtuse angle between adjacent contact surfaces can make the electrode contact 400 smoother as a whole and less likely to damage surrounding tissues. Figure 4b As shown in , the angle α between each side surface 402 and the bottom surface 401 is an obtuse angle.

[0065] In other embodiments, the multiple contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 may all be planes; or at least one of the multiple contact surfaces may be a curved surface; or at least one of the multiple contact surfaces may have an uneven surface structure. At least one of the multiple contact surfaces having a curved surface or an uneven surface structure can further increase the diversity of stimulation directions and / or signal collection directions, and increase the contact range between the contact surface and neurons. In addition, the curved contact surface shape can also make the outer surface of the electrode contact smoother.

[0066] Combination of the above Figure 4a to Figure 4c An exemplary description is given of the directional electrodes according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. It can be understood that the electrode contacts on the directional electrodes of the embodiments of the present disclosure have multiple contact surfaces facing different directions, thereby forming a sheet-like polyhedral electrode contact, and each of the contact surfaces can serve as an independent stimulation contact. Therefore, the directional electrodes of the embodiments of the present disclosure can form field strength forms / electric field line forms with more shapes and wider distribution ranges, and / or cover more signal acquisition directions and acquisition ranges.

[0067] Based on this, when a directional electrode according to the present disclosure is provided with one electrode contact, different contact surfaces of one electrode contact can be used as positive contacts and negative contacts to output stimulation signals, or the potential difference between multiple contact surfaces of one electrode contact can be used to collect physiological electrical signals, thereby enabling the directional electrode to achieve nerve stimulation and / or physiological electrical signal collection without being limited by the number of electrode contacts. When the directional electrode includes multiple electrode contacts according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, a more comprehensive coverage of the stimulation electric field and / or signal collection can be achieved.

[0068] Furthermore, compared to e.g. Figure 1 The electrode form shown in the directional electrode of the disclosed embodiment can help to activate as many neurons as possible in different directions and structures, thereby greatly shortening the time for effective stimulation, that is, it is helpful to increase the effectiveness of the charge acting on the neurons, so that more neurons can be activated in a short time, improving the timeliness of the stimulation. In addition, the individual control of each contact surface can increase the flexibility of configuring the shape of the stimulation electric field, which is helpful to improve the accuracy of target stimulation therapy.

[0069] It can also be understood that since the electrode contact 400 has different contact surfaces, different contact surfaces correspond to different directions. Therefore, when collecting, for example, EEG signals through the electrode contact 400, the EEG signals of different signal collection directions collected by different contact surfaces can be comprehensively analyzed, so as to more comprehensively analyze and identify brain activities, and then reversely infer the precise location, direction, intensity and other information of the source of neural activity in the brain, so as to more accurately determine the neurons that produce abnormal signals, thereby facilitating more precise stimulation.

[0070] In addition, it can be understood that the above description is exemplary rather than restrictive, and the electrode contact 400 may not be limited to Figure 4a to Figure 4c In some other embodiments, the electrode contact 400 may be concavely disposed on the surface of the electrode body. Figure 4d An exemplary description is given.

[0071] Figure 4d A schematic top view of a directional electrode in which the electrode contact is recessed in the electrode body in some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 4d As shown in , the directional electrode includes an electrode body 501 and an electrode contact recessed in the electrode body 501, and the electrode contact may have multiple contact surfaces, such as the bottom surface 401 and two side surfaces 402 shown in the figure, and the multiple contact surfaces are all recessed in the surface of the electrode body 501, wherein the bottom surface 401 faces the first direction F1, and the two side surfaces 402 face the second direction F2 and the third direction F3 respectively, and the first direction F1, the second direction F2 and the third direction F3 are all facing the outside of the electrode body 501. In some embodiments, the angle α between each side surface 402 and the bottom surface 401 may be an obtuse angle.

[0072] Directional electrodes with recessed electrode contacts can be better fixed in the tissue and can also be in closer contact with the target tissue. Specifically, taking the implantation of directional electrodes in the brain as an example, the inside of the brain is a dynamic environment, with the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, slight displacement of brain tissue, and so on. If the electrode contacts protrude from the electrode body, the electrode contacts may shift due to factors such as the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and slight displacement of brain tissue. In contrast, recessed electrode contacts can form a relatively stable structure with the electrode body deep in the brain, better resisting external interference and maintaining a predetermined position. This is like driving a nail into a wooden board. A slightly recessed nail head will be less likely to be knocked crooked than one that protrudes from the outside.

[0073] From an electrical perspective, directional electrodes with recessed electrode contacts can optimize the electric field distribution to a certain extent. When performing deep brain electrical stimulation, the range and intensity of the electric field need to be precisely controlled to stimulate specific neural nuclei or neural pathways. The recessed electrode contacts can make the electric field more concentrated in the intended stimulation area and reduce unnecessary stimulation of surrounding non-target areas. This is similar to placing a light source in a lampshade to make the light more focused and avoid scattering to places that do not need to be illuminated, thereby improving the accuracy and effectiveness of the stimulation.

[0074] Combination of the above Figure 4a to Figure 4d The directional electrode according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is described exemplarily. It is to be understood that the above description is exemplarily and not restrictive. For example, the number of contact surfaces of an electrode contact 400 may not be limited to three as shown in the figure, but may be more or less as required. The directional electrode may not be limited to only one electrode contact, but may be provided with more electrode contacts as required. For another example, the multiple contact surfaces of an electrode contact 400 may not be limited to only two side surfaces, but may also include more side surfaces, for example, may include four side surfaces. Figure 5a to Figure 5c Provide further explanation.

[0075] Figure 5a A front schematic diagram showing a directional electrode according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 5b Show Figure 5a Schematic diagram of the top view of the directional electrode shown. Figure 4a The directional electrodes shown in Figure 5a The directional electrode 500 shown in FIG. 5 may include an electrode body 501 and a plurality of electrode contacts 400. Figure 5a It can be seen from the enlarged view C of the electrode contact 400 in that the electrode contact 400 may include a bottom surface 401 and four side surfaces 402 to form an electrode contact with a polyhedral structure. The bottom surface 401 and the four side surfaces 402 may face different directions respectively, so that the electrode contact 400 may have five different stimulation directions. In some embodiments, the four side surfaces 402 may be connected to the four edges of the bottom surface 401 respectively. The angle between each side surface 402 and the bottom surface 401 may be an obtuse angle. According to such a configuration, the electrode contact 400 will have no exposed edges after being installed on the electrode, and the overall surface will be relatively flat and smooth.

[0076] In some embodiments, the directional electrode 500 may include a plurality of electrode contacts 400, and the plurality of electrode contacts 400 may be evenly distributed at the stimulation end of the electrode body 501. In other embodiments, the plurality of electrode contacts 400 may be divided into a plurality of groups, and the electrode contacts 400 in each group may be distributed in a ring shape around the circumference of the electrode body 501. The plurality of electrode contacts 400 may be distributed at intervals.

[0077] In order to facilitate understanding of the beneficial effects of the directional electrodes according to the disclosed embodiments having multiple stimulation directions, Figure 5a Taking the directional electrode shown as an example, combined with Figure 5c An exemplary description is given.

[0078] Figure 5c Show Figure 5a Schematic diagram of some application scenarios of directional electrodes shown in FIG. Figure 5c As shown in Figure 5a Taking the partial side view of the directional electrode shown as an example, the bottom surface 401 of the electrode contact on the directional electrode can have a stimulation direction of the first direction F1, and one of the side surfaces 402 can have a stimulation direction shown, for example, in the fourth direction F4 in the figure. In some scenarios, the axon of the first neuron 10 is parallel to the direction of the electric field line of the fourth direction F4 (i.e., the direction of charge movement) and is not within the coverage range of the first direction F1, so the stimulation signals emitted by the side surface 402 and the bottom surface 401 basically will not generate action potentials on the first neuron 10. In other scenarios, for example, the second neuron 20 is not within the coverage range of the first direction F1, but a part of the axon of the second neuron 20 is perpendicular to the direction of the electric field line of the fourth direction F4, so the stimulation signal emitted by the side surface 402 can generate an action potential on the second neuron 20, while the stimulation signal emitted by the bottom surface 401 will not generate an action potential on the second neuron 20. In some other scenarios, for example, a portion of the axon of the third neuron 30 is parallel to the first direction F1, and another portion of the axon is perpendicular to the fourth direction F4, so that the stimulation signal emitted from the side 402 can generate an action potential on the third neuron 30, while the stimulation signal emitted from the bottom surface 401 will not be able to generate an action potential on the third neuron 30.

[0079] In comparison, for example Figure 1 The directional electrode shown can only send out stimulation signals in the radial direction of the electrode body, that is, it can only form electric field lines in the first direction F1, so it cannot trigger, for example Figure 5c Action potentials are generated on the first neuron 10, the second neuron 20 and the third neuron 30 in the directional electrode 500. However, the electrode contact 400 of the directional electrode 500 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure has more stimulation directions, such as Figure 5c The fourth direction F4 shown in FIG. 1 can at least trigger, for example, the second neuron 20 and the third neuron 30 to generate action potentials. Obviously, compared with the existing electrodes, the directional electrode of the disclosed embodiment can trigger neurons with more structures and directions.

[0080] From this, it can be seen that the electrode contacts of the directional electrode of the disclosed embodiment have contact surfaces in multiple directions, which can not only improve the coverage of the stimulation electric field, allowing more neurons to be within the stimulation range of the directional electrode, but also enrich the direction and shape of the stimulation electric field lines, so that more neurons with different structures and different directions can be activated.

[0081] Combination of the above Figure 5a to Figure 5c The directional electrode according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is further described. It can be understood that the above description is exemplary rather than restrictive. For example, when the directional electrode includes a plurality of electrode contacts, the plurality of electrode contacts may not be limited to being convexly disposed on the surface of the electrode body as shown in the figure. In some embodiments, the plurality of electrode contacts 400 may be concavely disposed on the surface of the electrode body 501, for example Figure 5d The plurality of electrode contacts 400 of the directional electrode shown in FIG. 5 are all recessed on the surface of the electrode body 501. For example, Figure 5e A schematic diagram showing a directional electrode in which multiple electrode contacts of some embodiments of the present disclosure are respectively concavely and convexly arranged. Figure 5e As shown, a portion of the plurality of electrode contacts 400 of the directional electrode are recessed on the electrode body 501 , and another portion of the electrode contacts may be convexly disposed on the electrode body 501 .

[0082] Further, the electrode contacts of the directional electrodes according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may not be limited to all contact surfaces of an electrode contact being recessed or convexly disposed on the electrode body. In other embodiments, at least some of the multiple contact surfaces of an electrode contact may be recessed and / or convexly disposed on the electrode body. The at least some of the contact surfaces here may include at least one contact surface. For example, in some embodiments, at least one of the multiple contact surfaces of an electrode contact may be recessed or convexly disposed on the electrode body. In other embodiments, a portion of the multiple contact surfaces of an electrode contact is recessed on the electrode body, and another portion of the contact surfaces is convexly disposed on the electrode body. In yet other embodiments, at least one of the multiple contact surfaces of an electrode contact may be convexly disposed and recessed on the electrode body at the same time. For ease of understanding, the following will be combined with Figure 5f and Figure 5g An exemplary description is given.

[0083] For example, Figure 5f A schematic diagram showing a directional electrode in which a portion of the contact surface is recessed on the electrode body in some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 5fAs shown in , illustratively, the electrode contacts on the directional electrode may include a fourth contact surface 406, a fifth contact surface 409, a sixth contact surface 407, and a seventh contact surface 408, wherein the fourth contact surface 406, the fifth contact surface 409, and the sixth contact surface 407 are recessed in the electrode body 501, and the seventh contact surface 408 is attached to the surface of the electrode body 501, and wherein the fifth contact surface 409 faces the fifth direction F5, the fourth contact surface 406 faces the sixth direction F6, the sixth contact surface 407 faces the seventh direction F7, and the seventh contact surface 408 faces the eighth direction F8. In some embodiments, the fifth direction F5 and the eighth direction F8 may both be radial directions of the electrode body 501, and the fifth direction F5, the sixth direction F6, and the seventh direction F7 are different directions. In this embodiment, the fifth contact surface 409 may be a bottom surface, the fourth contact surface 406 and the sixth contact surface 407 may be side surfaces, and the seventh contact surface 408 may be an extension surface, which is connected to the sixth contact surface 407 and extends in a direction away from the fifth contact surface 409, so that the cross-sectional shape of the electrode contact after being cut in a direction perpendicular to the seventh contact surface 408 is spoon-shaped.

[0084] It is understandable that, in some other embodiments, some of the contacts in the plurality of contact surfaces may not be limited to Figure 5f The contact surface 406, the fifth contact surface 409 and the sixth contact surface 407 may be convexly arranged on the electrode body.

[0085] Figure 5g Schematic diagram showing directional electrodes with multiple contact surfaces concavely and convexly arranged on the electrode body in other embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 5g As shown in , some of the multiple contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 of the directional electrode are concavely arranged on the electrode body 501, and another part of the contact surfaces are convexly arranged on the electrode body 501. In other embodiments, one contact surface of the electrode contact 400 can also be concavely and convexly arranged on the electrode body 501 at the same time, for example Figure 5g The eighth contact surface 410 shown in the figure has a part of its area recessed on the electrode body 501, and another part of its area protruded on the electrode body 501. That is, the eighth contact surface 410 can penetrate the surface of the electrode body 501. The electrode contact 400 may include two bottom surfaces and at least three side surfaces, one of which (the eighth contact surface 410) is used to connect the two bottom surfaces, and the two bottom surfaces may extend in opposite directions with the one side (the eighth contact surface 410) as the interface, so that the cross section or the whole of the electrode contact 400 may be S-shaped.

[0086] The above description is exemplary and non-restrictive. For example, the electrode contacts may not be limited to Figure 5a to Figure 5eThe structure shown includes a trapezoidal body formed by a bottom surface and side surfaces, and can also be other shapes or structures. The following will further describe the structure in conjunction with a plurality of drawings.

[0087] Figure 6a A schematic diagram showing electrode contacts with multiple contact surfaces distributed in a honeycomb pattern according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 6b Shows installation Figure 6a Schematic diagram of the directional electrode with electrode contacts shown. Figure 6a As shown in , the multiple contact surfaces 403 of the electrode contact 400 can be distributed in a honeycomb shape. Each contact surface 403 can be, for example, a pentagon as shown in the figure, or a hexagon, etc. The edges of the multiple contact surfaces 403 can be connected or not. The angle between each adjacent two contact surfaces in the multiple contact surfaces 403 distributed in a honeycomb shape can be an obtuse angle. Figure 6b As shown in , the directional electrode 500 may include an electrode body 501 and one or more electrode contacts 400 mounted on the electrode body 501, wherein the multiple contact surfaces of each electrode contact 400 are distributed in a honeycomb shape. According to such a configuration, the stimulation direction of each electrode contact 400 is further increased, thereby further expanding the stimulation coverage of the directional electrode.

[0088] Figure 7a A schematic diagram showing a directional electrode including electrode contacts with a plurality of contact surfaces distributed in a ring shape according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 7b Show Figure 7a A top view of a directional electrode. Figure 7a and Figure 7b As shown, the directional electrode 500 may include one or more electrode contacts 400, and the multiple contact surfaces 403 of the electrode contact 400 may be distributed in a ring shape to form an electrode contact 400 having a ring-shaped polyhedron structure, so that the back surfaces 404 of the multiple contact surfaces 403 are surrounded to form a hollow structure, which is convenient for the electrode body 501 to be mounted therein. Here, the multiple contact surfaces 403 are distributed in a ring shape, which may refer to a back-to-back ring distribution. The back surface of the contact surface may also be referred to as the back side of the contact surface, that is, the side facing the electrode body 501 when the electrode contact is installed on the electrode body. The back surfaces 404 of the multiple contact surfaces 403 may be as shown in FIG. Figure 7b The back surfaces 404 of the plurality of contact surfaces 403 are enclosed to form a circular ring shape, or a ring shape with a polygonal cross section. Figure 7b The circular ring shape shown in the figure can be manufactured by an integrated molding process.

[0089] In comparison, for example Figure 1The annular electrode shown in Figure (a) has a complete and continuous sheet structure, so the radial direction of the annular electrode contact can only send stimulation signals at the same time, thereby only forming a fixed shape of electric field lines and a fixed intensity of field strength. Figure 7a Each contact surface of the directional electrode shown in the figure can be used as a stimulation source independently, so it is possible to control stimulation parameters such as whether stimulation signals are emitted in different radial directions of the directional electrode and the intensity of the emitted stimulation signals, thereby providing more forms of electric field lines and field strength distributions.

[0090] Combination of the above Figure 7a and Figure 7b An exemplary description is given of a directional electrode including an electrode contact having an annular three-dimensional structure. It is to be understood that the above description is exemplary and not restrictive. For example, the number of electrode contacts on the directional electrode may not be limited to three as shown in the figure, and may be more or less as required. The number of contact surfaces of the electrode contact may not be limited to six as shown in the figure, and may be more or less as required. For another example, the electrode contact may not be limited to only including contact surfaces, and may also include, for example, chamfered surfaces, etc. This will be further described below.

[0091] Figure 8a Schematic diagram showing an electrode contact including a chamfered surface according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 8b Shows installation as Figure 8a Schematic diagram of the directional electrode with electrode contacts shown. Figure 8c Show Figure 8b A top view of a directional electrode. Figure 8a to Figure 8c As shown, the electrode contact 400 may include a plurality of contact surfaces 403, and the plurality of contact surfaces 403 may be connected or not connected. At least two of the plurality of contact surfaces 403 may be made of metal. The electrode contact 400 may also include a chamfered surface 405, and the chamfered surface 405 may be disposed at an exposed edge 802 of one or more contact surfaces 403. The exposed edge 802 here may be an exposed edge of the contact surface 403, for example, an edge of the contact surface 403 that is not connected to the edges of other contact surfaces or is not adjacent to other contact surfaces.

[0092] The chamfered surface 405 may be a plane, a curved surface, etc. The number of the chamfered surfaces 405 may be one or more. For example, each contact surface 403 shown in the figure has two exposed edges, and each contact surface 403 is connected to two chamfered surfaces 405. In other embodiments, the chamfered surface 405 may be provided only at the exposed edge 802 of one contact surface 403 as needed. In still other embodiments, the chamfered surface 405 may be provided only at the exposed edge 802 of one side of one contact surface 403 as needed.

[0093] In some other embodiments, the chamfered surface 405 may also be provided at the connection 801 of the plurality of contact surfaces 403 (i.e., the connection 801 of each two adjacent contact surfaces 403 in the plurality of contact surfaces 403), so that the connection 801 of the plurality of contact surfaces 403 can have a smooth transition. The chamfered surface 405 may be provided at each connection 801, or may be provided at only one or more connections 801 as required.

[0094] By setting the chamfered surface, the connection points 801 and / or the exposed edges 802 of the multiple contact surfaces 403 can have a smooth transition, thereby making the structure of the entire directional electrode smoother and flatter, and it is not easy to damage the tissue when the directional electrode is implanted in the tissue. At the same time, it also avoids the uneven charge accumulation at the corners of the contact surface 403, which is beneficial to ensure the effective output of the stimulation signal.

[0095] It is understood that the above description is exemplary rather than restrictive. For example, the chamfered surface 405 may not be limited to being provided only on the electrode contact having a ring-shaped three-dimensional structure. Figure 4a to Figure 6b The same is true for the electrode contacts shown in the figure. No further description is given here. For example, the multiple contact surfaces 403 may not be limited to being in close contact or connection as shown in the figure, but may also be arranged at intervals. Fig. 9 An exemplary description is given.

[0096] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram showing electrode contacts of another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Fig. 9 As shown in , the electrode contact 400 may include multiple contact surfaces 403 and multiple chamfered surfaces 405. The electrode contact 400 may be an annular three-dimensional structure or a non-annular polyhedron structure. In some embodiments, there may be a gap between adjacent edges of at least two adjacent contact surfaces among the multiple contact surfaces 403, and / or an insulating isolation layer 901 may be provided. In some embodiments, the insulating isolation layer 901 may be provided in the gap. In other embodiments, an insulating isolation layer 901 may be provided between adjacent edges of at least two adjacent contact surfaces among the multiple contact surfaces 403, and a gap may be retained at the same time. The insulating isolation layer 901 may be formed by filling the gap with an insulating material, or it may be independently manufactured and formed and then installed between the multiple contact surfaces.

[0097] At least two adjacent contact surfaces among the multiple contact surfaces 403 may be only two adjacent contact surfaces among the multiple contact surfaces, or may be more adjacent two contact surfaces among the multiple contact surfaces. For example, there may be a gap and / or an insulating isolation layer 901 between adjacent edges of every two adjacent contact surfaces among the multiple contact surfaces. Adjacent edges may refer to two edges from two adjacent contact surfaces that are closest to each other. In other embodiments, the material of the multiple contact surfaces 403 may all be metal.

[0098] The adjacent sides of at least two adjacent contact surfaces may be separated by a gap and / or an insulating isolation layer 901. Since the movement of charges will occur when the contact surface sends a stimulation signal, the setting of separating the adjacent contact surfaces can effectively avoid the adjacent contact surfaces from influencing each other when sending stimulation signals.

[0099] Furthermore, in some embodiments, there may be a gap and / or an insulating isolation layer between adjacent edges of at least two adjacent chamfered surfaces among the plurality of chamfered surfaces 405. Such a configuration is beneficial to the processing and manufacturing of the electrode contact 400. For example, the insulating isolation layer 901 between adjacent contact surfaces and adjacent chamfered surfaces can be formed at one time through an integrated molding process, which is beneficial to simplifying the processing steps and also makes the overall structure of the electrode contact flat and smooth.

[0100] It is understood that the electrode contacts shown in the figure are exemplary and non-restrictive. For example, it is not limited to setting a gap and / or an insulating isolation layer between adjacent contact surfaces in the electrode contacts including chamfered surfaces. Figure 4a to Figure 7b There may also be gaps and / or insulating isolation layers between adjacent contact surfaces in any of the electrode contacts, which will not be described in detail here.

[0101] In another aspect, the present disclosure also provides a neural stimulation system, which may include a device installed with the aforementioned Figure 4a to Figure 9 In some embodiments, the neural stimulation system may further include a stimulator, and each contact surface of the electrode contact in the directional electrode may be independently connected to the stimulator. Fig.10a Further description is given.

[0102] Fig.10a Schematic block diagram of a neural stimulation system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Fig.10aAs shown in , the neural stimulation system 1000 may include a stimulator 1001 and a directional electrode 500, wherein the stimulator 1001 may include a pulse generator, etc., and the directional electrode 500 may include an electrode body 501 and one or more electrode contacts 400 mounted on the electrode body 501. The electrode contact 400 may include a plurality of contact surfaces, and the plurality of contact surfaces face different directions, and each contact surface may be independently connected to the stimulator 1001 by being individually connected to a wire.

[0103] By the independent connection of each contact surface with the stimulator 1001, the stimulation parameters of each contact surface can be independently controlled, so that different contact surfaces of the same electrode contact 400 can send the same or different stimulation signals, and different electrode contacts 400 can send the same or different stimulation signals. For example, in some scenes, the different contact surfaces of the same electrode contact 400 can be controlled to output stimulation current as positive contacts and negative contacts respectively. In other scenes, one or more contact surfaces of an electrode contact 400 can be controlled as positive contacts, and one or more contact surfaces of another electrode contact 400 can be controlled as negative contacts, etc. In some other scenes, different contact surfaces of the same electrode contact 400 can also be controlled to output stimulation electric fields of the same or different intensities, or the contact surfaces of different electrode contacts 400 can be controlled to output stimulation electric fields of different intensities.

[0104] According to such a setting, the diversity and flexibility of configuring the shape of the stimulation electric field lines and the field intensity distribution form can be increased, so that within a certain space, a more all-round and three-dimensional field strength and / or electric field line generation form can be provided, which is conducive to accelerating the depolarization process of neurons and improving the accuracy of target stimulation therapy.

[0105] The above description is exemplary and not restrictive. For example, the neural stimulation system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may not be limited to only including directional electrodes and stimulators, but may also include other units / devices. Fig.10b An exemplary description is given.

[0106] Fig.10b Schematic block diagram of a neural stimulation system according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Fig.10b As shown in , the neural stimulation system 1000 may include a stimulator 1001, a directional electrode 500 and a control unit 1002, wherein the control unit 1002 may control the stimulator 1001 and / or the directional electrode 500 to control one or more contact surfaces of one or more electrode contacts 400 of the directional electrode 500 to output stimulation signals. The control unit 1002 may be implemented in the form of software and / or hardware. In some embodiments, the control unit 1002 may be built into a program controller.

[0107] In other embodiments, the control unit 1002 may be used to selectively activate one or more contact surfaces of at least one electrode contact 400 of the directional electrode 500 according to the relative position between the directional electrode 500 and the target stimulation area. In some embodiments, the relative position between the directional electrode 500 and the target stimulation area may be determined by an imaging image (e.g., a magnetic resonance image, a CT image, etc.). The relative position between the directional electrode 500 and the target stimulation area may include, for example, the distance between the implanted directional electrode 500 and the target stimulation area, the position of the directional electrode 500 in the target stimulation area, the distance between the electrode contact on the directional electrode 500 and the target stimulation area, the position of the electrode contact on the directional electrode 500 in the target stimulation area, etc.

[0108] According to the relative position between the directional electrode 500 and the target stimulation area, the electrode contacts 400 that can cover the target stimulation area can be selected for configuration. One or more contact surfaces of an electrode contact 400 of the directional electrode 500 can be selected to be activated, or multiple electrode contacts 400 of the directional electrode 500 can be selected to be activated, wherein one or more contact surfaces of each electrode contact 400 can also be selectively activated separately. Activation here means controlling the contact surface to output a stimulation signal, and the inactivated contact surface does not output a stimulation signal.

[0109] In some other embodiments, the control unit 1002 can also be used to: measure the action potential caused by the stimulation generated by each contact surface or a combination of contact surfaces; determine the contact surface for effective stimulation based on the measured action potential; and select the determined effective contact surface for subsequent stimulation. This operation can be implemented in the patient's programming stage to determine the stimulation plan.

[0110] Specifically, since each contact surface of the electrode contact in the disclosed embodiment can be used as a stimulation source independently, each contact surface can be measured as a unit. The contact surface combination can include different contact surfaces from the same electrode contact, and can also include contact surfaces from different electrode contacts. By using different contact surface combinations for stimulation output, the action potential under the corresponding stimulation is obtained. Here, the action potential can be achieved by measuring EEG signals, field potentials, impedances, etc. Then, based on the measured effective action potentials, or abnormal action potentials, etc., the contact surface that can produce effective stimulation is determined. Based on this, subsequent stimulation and treatment can be performed.

[0111] In some scenarios, for example, in the programming stage, by using stimulation signals generated by different contact surface combinations, it is possible to determine whether an effective or abnormal action potential is generated based on the patient's behavioral actions, thereby determining the configuration of the effective contact surface. For example, when the patient's behavioral actions improve, it means that the contact surface combination used at this time has generated an effective action potential, so it can be determined that the current contact surface combination is an effective contact surface combination. When the patient's behavioral actions are abnormal, it means that the contact surface combination used at this time has generated an abnormal action potential, which has side effects on the patient. Therefore, it can be determined that the current contact surface combination is not an effective contact surface combination and should not be used in subsequent stimulation and treatment.

[0112] In some embodiments, the control unit 1002 is further configured to: weight the stimulation intensity of different contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 to reduce stimulation of non-target areas. Fig.11 Provide further explanation.

[0113] Fig.11 FIG. 2 shows a partial schematic diagram of a directional electrode according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig.11 As shown in the figure, for example, the first contact surface 1101 of one stimulation contact can be configured with a stimulation intensity of 50%, the second contact surface 1102 of another stimulation contact can be configured with a stimulation intensity of 20%, and the third contact surface 1103 of the other stimulation contact can be configured with a stimulation intensity of 30%.

[0114] Understandably, Fig.11 The weight distribution method of the stimulation intensity shown in is exemplary and non-restrictive. For example, it may not be limited to the distribution according to the weights of 50%, 20%, and 30%, and it may also be distributed according to other weight values ​​as needed. The number of contact surfaces for weight distribution may not be limited to the three shown in the figure, and the weight distribution of stimulation intensity may be performed on a larger or smaller number of contact surfaces as needed. For example, it may not be limited to the weight distribution of stimulation intensity on different contact surfaces of two different stimulation contacts as shown in the figure, and it may also be possible to only distribute the weight distribution of stimulation intensity on different contact surfaces of one stimulation contact.

[0115] The weighted distribution of stimulation intensity to different contact surfaces of the electrode contact 400 can further increase the shape variation and distribution range of the stimulation electric field strength / electric field line, which is conducive to activating neurons of more structures and directions. The weighted distribution of stimulation intensity to different contact surfaces can also achieve the goal of staying away from the nuclei that need to be avoided, or reducing the stimulation to the nuclei that need to be avoided (that is, reducing the stimulation to the non-target area), so as to effectively reduce the risk of inducing side effects by stimulating the nuclei that need to be avoided. For example, for the nuclei in the non-target area adjacent to the implantation position of the directional electrode, or for the actual implantation position of the directional electrode deviating greatly from the predetermined implantation position, resulting in the actual implantation position being closer to the nuclei that need to be avoided, the contact surface adjacent to the non-target area can be configured with a lower weighted stimulation intensity to achieve the purpose of reducing stimulation. According to such a setting, the maximization of the stimulation efficacy and the minimization of side effects can be achieved.

[0116] In summary, the disclosed embodiments provide a directional electrode equipped with electrode contacts having a multi-faceted three-dimensional structure. Since the electrode contacts have multiple contact surfaces that can independently control stimulation parameters, and the multiple contact surfaces face different directions, more field strength shapes and directions of electric lines, as well as more signal collection directions and ranges can be formed by selecting different contacts and / or different contact surface combinations on the directional electrode, thereby increasing the contact range of the directional electrode with neurons of different structures and directions, so as to act on more neurons in a larger range, thereby improving the utilization rate of the charge and improving the timeliness and effectiveness of the stimulation effect, thereby activating more neurons in a short time, and / or collecting physiological electrical signals in more directions, and achieving accurate positioning of neurons that generate physiological electrical signals.

[0117] Although multiple embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Those skilled in the art may think of many changes, modifications, and alternatives without departing from the thought and spirit of the present disclosure. It should be understood that in the process of practicing the present disclosure, various alternatives to the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein may be adopted. The attached claims are intended to define the scope of protection of the present disclosure, and therefore cover equivalents or alternatives within the scope of these claims.

Claims

1. A directional electrode, characterized in that: include: Electrode body; as well as An electrode contact is installed on the electrode body, wherein the electrode contact has multiple contact surfaces, each of which can independently serve as a stimulation source and / or a signal collection point, and at least two of the multiple contact surfaces are respectively oriented in different directions, so that the electrode contact has multiple stimulation directions and / or multiple signal collection directions.

2. The directional electrode according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least some of the multiple contact surfaces of the electrode contacts are convexly and / or concavely arranged on the electrode body.

3. The directional electrode according to claim 1, characterized in that: The directional electrode includes a plurality of electrode contacts, and the plurality of electrode contacts are convexly and / or concavely arranged on the electrode body.

4. The directional electrode according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of contact surfaces include a bottom surface and at least two side surfaces, wherein an angle between each side surface and the bottom surface is an obtuse angle.

5. The directional electrode according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multiple contact surfaces are distributed in a honeycomb shape.

6. The directional electrode according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multiple contact surfaces are distributed in a ring shape, so that the back surfaces of the multiple contact surfaces are surrounded to form a hollow structure, which is convenient for the electrode body to be sleeved therein.

7. The directional electrode according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The electrode contacts also include: A chamfered surface is provided at the connection of the plurality of contact surfaces and / or at the exposed edge of one or more contact surfaces.

8. The directional electrode according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: There is a gap between adjacent sides of at least two adjacent contact surfaces among the plurality of contact surfaces, and / or an insulating isolation layer is provided.

9. The electrode contact according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The plurality of contact surfaces are all planes; or At least one of the multiple contact surfaces is a curved surface; or At least one contact surface among the plurality of contact surfaces has an uneven surface structure.

10. A neural stimulation system, characterized in that: It comprises the directional electrode described in any one of claims 1-9.

11. The neural stimulation system according to claim 10, characterized in that A stimulator is also included, and each contact surface of the electrode contact in the directional electrode is independently connected to the stimulator.

12. The neural stimulation system according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that: Also includes: A control unit is used to selectively activate one or more contact surfaces of at least one electrode contact of the directional electrode according to the relative position of the directional electrode and the target stimulation area.

13. The neural stimulation system according to claim 12, characterized in that The control unit is also used for: Measuring the action potential evoked by stimulation of each contact surface or combination of contact surfaces; Based on the measured action potential, the contact surface for effective stimulation is determined; The contact surface of the determined effective stimulation is selected for subsequent stimulation.

14. The neural stimulation system according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that: The control unit is also used for: The stimulation intensity is weightedly distributed to different contact surfaces of the electrode contacts to reduce stimulation to non-target areas.

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