Multi-channel ultrasound device using electrode arrangement for electroencephalography
The multi-channel ultrasound device with EEG electrode placement effectively targets specific brain regions, enhancing waste removal and cerebrospinal fluid circulation while minimizing side effects and discomfort, addressing the limitations of existing methods.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- DEEPSONBIO CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-18
AI Technical Summary
Existing ultrasonic brain stimulation methods risk cerebral hemorrhage due to excessive disruption of the blood-brain barrier and are ineffective for precise targeting of specific brain regions, leading to discomfort and potential short circuits from multiple wires.
A multi-channel ultrasound device using EEG electrode placement with precisely positioned ultrasonic transducers, generating frequencies between 100 kHz and 750 kHz, modulated and amplified to induce volumetric flow and promote cerebrospinal fluid circulation and waste removal by targeting specific brain regions.
Enhances the movement of brain waste products into the perivascular space, increases cerebrospinal fluid circulation, and minimizes side effects by precise ultrasound irradiation, improving safety and efficacy for conditions like Alzheimer's disease and stroke.
Smart Images
Figure KR2025021135_18062026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Multichannel ultrasound device using electrode placement for electroencephalography
[0001] The present invention relates to a non-invasive ultrasonic brain stimulation method for promoting the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid and the removal of waste products. In particular, it relates to a multi-channel ultrasonic device utilizing an electroencephalography (EEG) electrode placement capable of effectively targeting specific regions within the ventricles by precisely positioning ultrasonic transducers using an EEG device and adjusting the characteristics of the ultrasound.
[0002] Generally, the lymphatic system is a collective term for various lymphatic organs composed of lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, etc. In specific biological tissues, maintaining the balance of osmotic pressure between cells, the elimination of waste products, and the preservation of interstitial solutes play an important role in the normal function and homeostasis of the tissue. The lymphatic system collects plasma, various molecular compounds, and proteins from the bloodstream and transports them to peripheral lymphatic vessels. Therefore, the lymphatic system serves to eliminate various waste products, including external invading substances such as cell fragments, bacteria, and macromolecules. Furthermore, as an important part of the immune system connected to the spleen, thymus, and bone marrow, the lymphatic system is involved in the activation and trafficking of immune cells necessary for adaptive immunity [References 1, 2].
[0003] Conventionally, there is a technique that applies ultrasound to the brain while intravenously injecting a microbubble-based ultrasound imaging contrast agent. This technology utilizes the vibration of microbubble contrast agent particles injected into the blood vessels by ultrasound, which amplifies the ultrasound waves through inertial cavitation and stable cavitation phenomena. This pushes against surrounding cerebral blood vessel endothelial cells, thereby disrupting and temporarily opening the blood-brain barrier (BBB). While this technique was primarily developed to deliver large-molecular-weight drugs to brain tissue and can incidentally promote the function of the brain lymphatic system, it has a significant drawback: if the BBB is excessively disrupted or collapsed, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), interstitial fluid (ISF), or blood may leak out, potentially causing cerebral hemorrhage (a major risk factor). Additionally, it has the disadvantage of being completely unusable if a specific population is allergic to the injected microbubbles.
[0004] Recently, ultrasound technology has been proven effective in non-invasively stimulating the brain, opening the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to deliver therapeutic agents, or increasing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation. Therefore, there is a need for the development of technologies that utilize ultrasound to precisely stimulate specific regions within the ventricles and promote the removal of brain waste.
[0005] Meanwhile, FIG. 1 is a first example of wearing a conventional ultrasonic device. As shown in FIG. 1, first and second ultrasonic transducers (100, 200) are installed within a headgear (20), and the first and second ultrasonic transducers (100, 200) are in close contact with the scalp when the headgear (20) is worn. In particular, the first and second ultrasonic transducers (100, 200) are positioned around the wearer's temples on both sides and are oriented so that ultrasonic waves (30) are irradiated toward the deep part of the brain (10).
[0006] FIG. 2 is a second example of wearing a conventional ultrasonic device. As shown in FIG. 2, the first ultrasonic transducer (100) is oriented to be in close contact with the forehead area of the wearer, and the second ultrasonic transducer (200) is oriented to be in close contact with the back of the head area of the wearer. The ultrasonic waves (30) are oriented to be directed toward the deep part of the brain (10).
[0007] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, conventional ultrasonic devices inevitably had to have many wires (110) due to multiple ultrasonic transducers. This raised issues such as discomfort during wear and the possibility of short circuits in the wires (110).
[0008] Prior art literature
[0009] Non-patent literature
[0010] 1. Engelhardt, B., P. Vajkoczy, and R. O. Weller, The movers and shapers in immune privilege of the CNS. Nat Immunol, 2017. 18(2): p. 123-131.
[0011] 2. Meyer, C., G. Martin-Blondel, and R. S. Liblau, Endothelial cells and lymphatics at the interface between the immune and central nervous systems: implications for multiple sclerosis. Curr Opin Neurol, 2017. 30(3): p. 222-230.
[0012] 3. U.S. Patent No. 11,511,137 (Ultrasound device for facilitating waste clearance of the brain lymphatic system).
[0013] Accordingly, the present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-channel ultrasound device using an electrode arrangement for electroencephalography characterized by inducing volumetric flow due to dynamic pressure by irradiating ultrasound passing through the skull of a mammal into the deep brain, thereby promoting the movement of solutes including brain waste products and inducing absorption into the perivascular space.
[0014] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-channel ultrasound device using an electroencephalography (EEG) electrode placement capable of effectively targeting a specific region within the ventricles by precisely positioning an ultrasound transducer using an EEG device and adjusting the characteristics of the ultrasound.
[0015] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-channel ultrasound device for promoting the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid and the elimination of brain waste through precise ultrasound irradiation.
[0016] However, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs from the description below.
[0017] To achieve the above technical objective, (i-1) a first frequency generator (210) that generates a first frequency in a band of 100 kHz or more and 750 kHz or less; (i-2) a first waveform modulator (230) that modulates the waveform of the first frequency; (i-3) a first linear amplifier (250) that amplifies the waveform of the first frequency; (i-4) a first resonance circuit unit (170a) that matches the impedance of the amplified waveform of the first frequency; and (i-5) a first ultrasonic transducer (100) connected to the first resonance circuit unit (170a) and irradiating ultrasound (30) toward the brain (10) of a mammal; (ii-1) a second frequency generator (310) that generates a second frequency in a band of 100 kHz or more and 750 kHz or less; (ii-2) a second waveform modulator (330) for modulating a waveform of the second frequency; (ii-3) a second linear amplifier (350) for amplifying a waveform of the second frequency; (ii-4) a second resonance circuit unit (170b) for matching the impedance of the amplified waveform of the second frequency; and (ii-5) a second ultrasonic transducer (200) connected to the second resonance circuit unit (170b) and irradiating ultrasound (30) toward the mammalian brain (10); (iii-1) a third frequency generator (410) for generating a third frequency in a band of 100 kHz or more and 750 kHz or less; (iii-2) a third waveform modulator (430) for modulating a waveform of the third frequency; (iii-3) a third linear amplifier (450) for amplifying a waveform of the third frequency; (iii-4) a third resonance circuit (170c) that matches the impedance of the waveform of the amplified third frequency; and (iii-5) a third ultrasonic transducer (400) connected to the third resonance circuit (170c) and irradiating ultrasound (30) toward the mammalian brain (10);A multi-channel ultrasound device using an electrode arrangement for electroencephalography (EEG) is provided, characterized in that it includes a plurality of first ultrasound transducers (100), a plurality of second ultrasound transducers (200), and a plurality of third ultrasound transducers (400), wherein the first ultrasound transducers (100), a plurality of second ultrasound transducers (200), and a plurality of third ultrasound transducers (400) are provided at the electrode (120) position of a headgear (20) having a 10-10 electrode arrangement for electroencephalography (EEG).
[0018] Optionally, the apparatus further comprises: (iv-1) an n-frequency generator (510) that generates an n-frequency in a band of 100 kHz or more and 750 kHz or less; (iv-2) an n-frequency modulator (530) that modulates the waveform of the n-frequency; (iv-3) an n-frequency linear amplifier (550) that amplifies the waveform of the n-frequency; (iv-4) an n-resonance circuit (170n) that matches the impedance of the amplified n-frequency waveform; and (iv-5) an n-frequency transducer (500) that is connected to the n-frequency circuit (170n) and irradiates ultrasound (30) toward the brain (10) of a mammal, wherein n is 4 or more, and a plurality of n-frequency transducers (500) are provided at the electrode (120) position of the headgear (20).
[0019] Optionally, a plurality of first ultrasonic transducers (100) are connected by a first wire (130), a plurality of second ultrasonic transducers (200) are connected by a second wire (140), a plurality of third ultrasonic transducers (400) are connected by a third wire (144), and a plurality of n-th ultrasonic transducers (500) are connected by a fourth wire (146).
[0020] Optionally, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th frequencies increase sequentially from the 1st frequency to the 4th frequency.
[0021] A plurality of first, second, third, n ultrasonic transducers (100, 200, 400, 500) are arranged along the front-back or left-right directions of the brain (10) in a headgear (20) having a 10-10 electroencephalogram (EEG) electrode arrangement.
[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, by irradiating deep into the brain with ultrasound passing through the skull of mammals including humans to induce volumetric flow due to dynamic pressure, the movement of solutes including brain waste products such as amyloid beta and tau protein is enhanced, thereby inducing absorption into the perivascular space and promoting the excretion of waste products through the cerebral lymphatic system.
[0023] In addition, ultrasonic transducers can be precisely positioned using an electroencephalography (EEG) device.
[0024] Furthermore, by precisely adjusting the diameter, depth, and intensity of the ultrasound, specific brain regions can be effectively stimulated, and cerebrospinal fluid circulation can be increased. By promoting cerebrospinal fluid circulation and the removal of brain waste products, the therapeutic effects of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and stroke can be maximized.
[0025] In addition, using non-invasive technology can enhance patient safety and minimize side effects.
[0026] However, the effects obtainable from the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.
[0027] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention provided below; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings.
[0028] FIG. 1 is a first example wearing a conventional ultrasonic device,
[0029] FIG. 2a is a second example wearing a conventional ultrasonic device,
[0030] FIG. 2b is an example of wearing an electroencephalography (EEG) device.
[0031] FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a multi-channel ultrasonic device according to the present invention,
[0032] FIG. 4a is a waveform diagram showing the waveform modulation of ultrasound used in a multi-channel ultrasound device according to the present invention,
[0033] FIG. 4b is a waveform diagram showing a pulse train of ultrasound according to the present invention,
[0034] FIG. 5 is a waveform diagram when the first and second ultrasonic transducers operate alternately in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3,
[0035] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a first example showing a state in which a plurality of first ultrasonic transducers (100), a plurality of second ultrasonic transducers (200), a plurality of third ultrasonic transducers (300), and a plurality of fourth ultrasonic transducers are arranged left and right on an electroencephalogram (EEG) device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a second example showing a state in which a plurality of first ultrasonic transducers (100), a plurality of second ultrasonic transducers (200), a plurality of third ultrasonic transducers (300), and a plurality of fourth ultrasonic transducers are arranged front and back on an electroencephalogram (EEG) device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0037] Below, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention are described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the invention. However, since the description of the present invention is merely an example for structural or functional explanation, the scope of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited by the embodiments described in the text. That is, since the embodiments are subject to various modifications and may take various forms, the scope of the present invention should be understood to include equivalents capable of realizing the technical concept. Furthermore, the objectives or effects presented in the present invention do not imply that a specific embodiment must include all of them or only such effects; therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be understood as being limited by them.
[0038] The meaning of the terms described in this invention should be understood as follows.
[0039] Terms such as "first" and "second" are intended to distinguish one component from another, and the scope of rights shall not be limited by these terms. For example, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component. When a component is referred to as being "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected to that other component, or that there may be other components in between. Conversely, when a component is referred to as being "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between. Meanwhile, other expressions describing the relationship between components, such as "between" and "exactly between," or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to," shall be interpreted in the same manner.
[0040] A singular expression should be understood to include a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, and terms such as "include" or "have" are intended to specify the existence of the set-up features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof, and should be understood not to preclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.
[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having meanings consistent with the context of the relevant technology and should not be interpreted as having an ideal or overly formal meaning unless explicitly defined in this invention.
[0042] Composition of the embodiment
[0043] Hereinafter, the configuration of a preferred embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of an ultrasonic device according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, in order to operate a first ultrasonic transducer (100), a first frequency generator (210), a first waveform modulator (230), a first linear amplifier (250), and a first resonance circuit (170a) are provided. In addition, in order to operate a second ultrasonic transducer (200), a second frequency generator (310), a second waveform modulator (330), a second linear amplifier (350), and a second resonance circuit (170b) are provided.
[0044] To operate the third ultrasonic transducer (400), a third frequency generator (410), a third waveform modulator (430), a third linear amplifier (450), and a third resonance circuit (170c) are provided. To operate the fourth ultrasonic transducer (500), a fourth frequency generator (510), a fourth waveform modulator (530), a fourth linear amplifier (550), and a fourth resonance circuit (170d) are provided. In this embodiment, n = 4.
[0045] The first, second, third, and fourth frequency generators (210, 310, 410, 510) generate a predetermined low frequency (e.g., a pulse waveform in the band of 100 kHz or higher and 750 kHz or lower). The first, second, third, and fourth frequencies increase or decrease sequentially from the first frequency to the fourth frequency. Since ultrasound at frequencies exceeding 750 KHz is absorbed by the skull by more than 70%, the efficiency is reduced. Considering the penetration rate of the skull, the 100 KHz to 200 KHz band is more preferable. For reference, ultrasound used for ultrasound imaging is a high frequency in the 1 to 15 MHz band.
[0046] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, the intensity of the ultrasound (30) is 0.1 to 2 Watt / cm 2 The spatial-peak pulse-average intensity (I sppa The maximum intensity internationally approved for medical ultrasound imaging devices that can be applied to the human body is 190 Watt / cm². 2 am.
[0047] In addition, the output fluctuation rate of the first, second, third, and fourth ultrasonic transducers (100, 200, 400, 500) is each set to 10% or less, and the frequency fluctuation rate of the first, second, third, and fourth ultrasonic transducers (100, 200, 400, 500) is set to a range of ±1%.
[0048] The ultrasound (30) has a beam diameter of 1 to 5 mm, and the first, second, third, and fourth frequencies are in the range of 250 kHz to 500 kHz.
[0049] In addition, the pulse period of the ultrasound (30) is 10 to 50 ms, and the brain (10) can be stimulated for 5 to 15 minutes.
[0050] In addition, the tone duration (D) of the ultrasound (30) is set to 100 ms to 500 ms, and the duty cycle is set to 0.3 to 50%. When it is less than 100 ms, the effect of promoting discharge is negligible, and when it is greater than 500 ms, the duty cycle increases to 50% or more (i.e., applied at least once per second), and the corresponding I sppa I according to spta There are cases where it exceeds, so it is best to avoid it if possible. Also, generally I spta If the temperature is high, it can raise the temperature of human tissues, so it is also best to avoid it.
[0051] The specifications of such ultrasound are precisely controlled by a control unit (70). To this end, the control unit (70) has built-in specifications of ultrasound and control judgment criteria (e.g., output fluctuation rate of 10% or less, frequency fluctuation rate of ±1% range, etc.). This control unit (70) can be a CPU of a computer.
[0052] The first, second, third, and fourth waveform modulators (230, 330, 430, 530) modulate the waveform of the generated frequency into a pulse envelope (60) or a half sine envelope (65).
[0053] The first, second, third, and fourth linear amplifiers (250, 350, 450, 550) amplify the modulated pulse waveform to a predetermined size.
[0054] The first, second, third, and fourth resonance circuit sections (170a, 170b, 170c, 170d) match the impedance of the amplified waveform.
[0055] The control unit (70) is provided between the first, second, third, and fourth resonance circuit units (170a, 170b, 170c, 170d) and the first, second, third, and fourth ultrasonic transducers (100, 200, 400, 500), and can control the transmission of ultrasonic waves (30) of the first, second, third, and fourth frequencies to the first, second, third, and fourth ultrasonic transducers (100, 200, 400, 500), respectively, or the transmission of ultrasonic waves (30) of the first, second, third, and fourth frequencies to the fourth, third, second, and first ultrasonic transducers (500, 400, 200, 100), respectively.
[0056] The first, second, third, and fourth ultrasonic transducers (100, 200, 400, 500) are composed of a plurality of ultrasonic probe arrays and have a structure for stimulating at low intensity. The plurality of ultrasonic probes of the first, second, third, and fourth ultrasonic transducers (100, 200, 400, 500) may have the function of concentrating ultrasonic waves at a specific location by adjusting their respective phases, and may also control the direction of the ultrasonic waves (beam steering) by adjusting their phases. In the case of a single-component ultrasonic transducer, the geometry and orientation of the ultrasonic transducer determine the beam focus position and direction of the ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic transducer may have a focused configuration or a non-focused configuration depending on the acoustic region.
[0057] FIG. 4a is a waveform diagram showing the waveform modulation of the ultrasound (30) used in the ultrasound device according to the present invention, and FIG. 4b is a waveform diagram showing the pulse train of the ultrasound according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4a, the frequency (50) generated in the first, second, third, and fourth frequency generators (210, 310, 410, 510) is modulated using a pulse envelope (60) or a half-sine envelope (65). At this time, D is the tone burst duration (TBD), which is 100 ms to 500 ms. And, I represents the pulse interval (IPI). The reciprocal of the pulse interval (I) is the pulse repetition frequency (PRF), and the ratio of the period occupied by TBD × PRF (i.e., the time during which the ultrasound is irradiated) to 1 second is expressed as the duty cycle (%). The total ultrasound irradiation time is determined by adjusting the number of pulses (N), and the ultrasound intensity / power is determined by the peak-to-peak magnitude (A) of the waveform.
[0058] As shown in FIG. 4b, the width of the ultrasonic (30) pulse is in the range of 0.2 to 5 ms, the period is 10 ms, and the excitation frequency of the ultrasonic can be selected within the range of 0.01 to 10 Hz (e.g., 1 to 4 Hz).
[0059] FIG. 5 is a waveform diagram when the first and second ultrasonic transducers (100, 200) operate alternately in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3. The first and second ultrasonic transducers (100, 200) may operate simultaneously or alternately as illustrated in FIG. 5. That is, the second ultrasonic transducer (200) irradiates ultrasonic waves (30) between the times when the first ultrasonic transducer (100) irradiates ultrasonic waves (30). At this time, the waveform and frequency of the first ultrasonic transducer (100) and the waveform and frequency of the second ultrasonic transducer (200) may be the same or different. The third and fourth ultrasonic transducers (400, 500) may also operate in the same way as the first and second ultrasonic transducers (100, 200).
[0060] FIG. 2b is an example of wearing an electroencephalography (EEG) device, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of a first example showing a state in which a plurality of first ultrasonic transducers (100), a plurality of second ultrasonic transducers (200), a plurality of third ultrasonic transducers (300), and a plurality of fourth ultrasonic transducers are arranged left and right on an EEG device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2b and FIG. 6, an example of an electroencephalography (EEG) device may be a 10-10 EEG system, which is a standardized electrode placement method. As shown in FIG. 6, approximately 64 electrodes (120) are distributed on a headgear (20). The meaning of the English initials marked on each electrode (120) is as follows.
[0061] Electrode Names: F (Frontal) Frontal lobe (forehead area) C (Central) Central area (near motor cortex) P (Parietal) Parietal lobe (sense of relative position) O (Occipital) Occipital lobe (visual information processing) T (Temporal) Temporal lobe (hearing and memory) Fp (Frontopolar) Frontal pole (foremost part of the forehead) Z (Midline) Central axis (based on the midline)
[0062] ※ Example: F3, F4 → Electrodes located in the left / right frontal lobes; the numbers are serial numbers.
[0063] The electrode spacing is 10%, the electrode shape can be circular, square, or polygonal, and the electrode area is 3–4 cm² 2 A plurality of first ultrasonic transducers (100), second ultrasonic transducers (200), third ultrasonic transducers (400), and fourth ultrasonic transducers (500) are arranged in multiple channels for some of the plurality of electrodes (120) provided in the 10-10 EEG device.
[0064] In FIG. 6, a first ultrasonic transducer (100) is placed at the electrode (120) locations of AF7, AF3, AFz, AF4, and AF8, and is connected in series or parallel by a single line of third wiring (140). Here, F represents the frontal lobe.
[0065] In FIG. 6, a second ultrasonic transducer (200) is placed at the electrode (120) positions of FT9, FT7, FC5, FC3, FC1, FCz, FC2, FC4, FC6, FT8, and FT10, and is connected in series or in parallel by a line of fourth wiring (146).
[0066] In FIG. 6, a third ultrasonic transducer (400) is placed at the electrode (120) locations of TP9, TP7, CP5, CP3, CP1, CPz, CP2, CP4, CP6, TP8, and TP10, and is connected in series or in parallel by a single line of first wiring (130).
[0067] In FIG. 6, a fourth ultrasonic transducer (500) is placed at the electrode (120) locations of PO7, PO3, POz, PO4, and PO8, and is connected in series or parallel by a single line of second wiring (140).
[0068] Ultrasound (30) of the first, second, third, and fourth frequencies stimulates at least one of the choroid plexus, foramen of Monro, third ventricle, fourth ventricle, and interstitial fluid (ISF) of the brain, thereby increasing the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and promoting the drainage of waste products from the lymphatic system.
[0069] FIG. 6 is one example showing the arrangement of ultrasonic transducers, and various arrangement examples may be presented. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a second example showing a state in which a plurality of first ultrasonic transducers (100), a plurality of second ultrasonic transducers (200), a plurality of third ultrasonic transducers (300), and a plurality of fourth ultrasonic transducers are arranged front and back on an electroencephalogram (EEG) device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0070] Operation of the example
[0071] Hereinafter, the operation of the embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. First, a coupling gel (40) is applied to the first, second, third, and fourth ultrasonic transducers (100, 200, 400, 500) and the scalp of the wearer, respectively. Next, the first, second, third, and fourth ultrasonic transducers (100, 200, 400, 500) are attached to the scalp by putting a headgear (20) on the wearer's head. The arrangement of the first, second, third, and fourth ultrasonic transducers (100, 200, 400, 500) may be one of the examples shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
[0072] The placement of the first, second, third, and fourth ultrasound transducers (100, 200, 400, 500) may target at least one of the choroid plexus, foramen of Monro, third ventricle, and fourth ventricle.
[0073] A constant frequency (50) is generated by power applied to the first, second, third, and fourth frequency generators (210, 310, 410, 510), and is modulated into a pulse wave or half-sine wave (half-sine wave) form by the first, second, third, and fourth waveform modulators (230, 330, 430, 530). Then, after being amplified to a predetermined output by the first, second, third, and fourth linear amplifiers (250, 350, 450, 550), the impedance is matched by the first, second, third, and fourth resonance circuits (170a, 170b, 170c, 170d). Next, ultrasound (30) is irradiated from the first, second, third, and fourth ultrasound transducers (100, 200, 400, 500), respectively.
[0074] The irradiated ultrasound (30) passes through the scalp and skull, passes through the brain, and is directed toward the deep part of the brain. In this process, by inducing volumetric flow of interstitial fluid (ISF) by dynamic pressure, at least one of the choroid plexus, foramen of Monro, third ventricle, fourth ventricle, and interstitial fluid (ISF) where cerebrospinal fluid is generated is stimulated to increase the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and promote the movement of solutes, including brain waste products. As a result, the solutes can be absorbed more rapidly in the perivascular space, thereby promoting the elimination of brain waste products.
[0075] The total irradiation time of the ultrasound (30) can be about 30 to 40 minutes. This is because if the irradiation time is prolonged, the coupling gel (40) dries out at room temperature, and the wearer may feel uncomfortable.
[0076] And while the ultrasound (30) is being irradiated, the wearer's condition or physiological signals (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, brain waves, electrocardiogram, etc.) can be monitored, and the intensity, waveform, period, phase, etc. of the ultrasound can be controlled.
[0077] In addition, ultrasound can be selectively injected sequentially into entire areas of the brain (e.g., the left and right hemispheres) to promote circulation in the cerebral lymphatic system.
[0078] As described above, the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention disclosed is provided to enable those skilled in the art to implement and practice the present invention. Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, those skilled in the art may utilize each configuration described in the embodiments described above in combination with one another. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but to be given the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
[0079] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential features of the invention. Accordingly, the above detailed description should not be interpreted restrictively in all respects but should be considered exemplary. The scope of the invention shall be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the invention are included within the scope of the invention. The invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but to be given the broadest possible scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. Furthermore, embodiments may be constructed by combining claims that are not explicitly related in the claims, or by including them as new claims through amendments made after filing.
[0080] Explanation of the symbols
[0081] 10 : Brain,
[0082] 20 : Headgear,
[0083] 30 : Ultrasound,
[0084] 40 : Couple Gel,
[0085] 50 : Frequency,
[0086] 60 : Pulse envelope,
[0087] 65 : Half-sine envelope,
[0088] 80 : Temperature sensor,
[0089] 90 : Control unit,
[0090] 100 : 1st transducer,
[0091] 110 : Wiring,
[0092] 120 : Electrode,
[0093] 130 : 1st wiring,
[0094] 140 : 2nd wiring,
[0095] 144 : 3rd wiring,
[0096] 146 : 4th wiring,
[0097] 150 : Internal wiring,
[0098] 170a : First resonance circuit section,
[0099] 170b : Second resonance circuit section,
[0100] 170c : 3rd resonance circuit section,
[0101] 170n : nth resonance circuit section,
[0102] 200: 2nd transducer,
[0103] 210 : First frequency generator,
[0104] 230 : 1st waveform modulator,
[0105] 250 : 1st linear amplifier,
[0106] 310 : Second frequency generator,
[0107] 330 : Second waveform modulator,
[0108] 350 : Second linear amplifier,
[0109] 400: 3rd transducer,
[0110] 410 : 3rd frequency generator,
[0111] 430 : 3rd waveform modulator,
[0112] 450 : 3rd linear amplifier,
[0113] 500 : My n transducer,
[0114] 510 : nth frequency generator,
[0115] 530 : nth waveform modulator,
[0116] 550 : n linear amplifier,
[0117] D: Tone Burst Duration (TBD),
[0118] I : Inter-Pulse Interval (IPI),
[0119] N : Number of pulses,
[0120] A: Peak-to-peak magnitude of the waveform,
[0121] I sppa : Space-peak pulse-average intensity,
[0122] I spta : Spatial-peak time-average intensity.
Claims
1. (i-1) A first frequency generator (210) that generates a first frequency in a band of 100 kHz or more and 750 kHz or less; (i-2) A first waveform modulator (230) that modulates the waveform of the first frequency; (i-3) A first linear amplifier (250) that amplifies the waveform of the first frequency; (i-4) A first resonance circuit (170a) that matches the impedance of the waveform of the first frequency amplified above; and (i-5) A first ultrasonic transducer (100) connected to the first resonance circuit (170a) and irradiating ultrasound (30) toward the mammalian brain (10); (ii-1) A second frequency generator (310) that generates a second frequency in a band of 100 kHz or more and 750 kHz or less; (ii-2) A second waveform modulator (330) that modulates the waveform of the second frequency; (ii-3) A second linear amplifier (350) that amplifies the waveform of the second frequency; (ii-4) a second resonance circuit (170b) that matches the impedance of the waveform of the amplified second frequency; and (ii-5) A second ultrasonic transducer (200) connected to the second resonance circuit (170b) and irradiating ultrasound (30) toward the mammalian brain (10); (iii-1) A third frequency generator (410) that generates a third frequency in a band of 100 kHz or more and 750 kHz or less; (iii-2) A third waveform modulator (430) that modulates the waveform of the third frequency; (iii-3) A third linear amplifier (450) that amplifies the waveform of the third frequency; (iii-4) a third resonance circuit (170c) that matches the impedance of the waveform of the amplified third frequency; and (iii-5) A third ultrasonic transducer (400) connected to the third resonance circuit (170c) and irradiating ultrasound (30) toward the mammalian brain (10); comprising, A multi-channel ultrasonic device using an electrode arrangement for electroencephalography, characterized in that a plurality of the first ultrasonic transducers (100), a plurality of the second ultrasonic transducers (200), and a plurality of the third ultrasonic transducers (400) are provided at the electrode (120) positions of a headgear (20) having a 10-10 electrode arrangement for electroencephalography (EEG).
2. In Paragraph 1, (iv-1) An n-th frequency generator (510) that generates an n-th frequency in a band of 100 kHz or more and 750 kHz or less; (iv-2) n-th waveform modulator (530) that modulates the waveform of the n-th frequency; (iv-3) nth linear amplifier (550) that amplifies the waveform of the nth frequency above; (iv-4) an n-th resonance circuit (170n) that matches the impedance of the amplified waveform of the n-th frequency; and (iv-5) further comprising an n-th ultrasonic transducer (500) connected to the n-th resonance circuit (170n) and irradiating ultrasound (30) toward the mammalian brain (10), and Here, n is 4 or greater, and A multi-channel ultrasonic device using electrode placement for electroencephalography, characterized in that a plurality of the n-th ultrasonic transducers (500) are provided at the electrode (120) position of the headgear (20).
3. In Paragraph 2, A plurality of the first ultrasonic transducers (100) are connected by a first wiring (130), and A plurality of the above-mentioned second ultrasonic transducers (200) are connected by a second wiring (140), and A plurality of the above-mentioned third ultrasonic transducers (400) are connected by third wiring (144), and A multi-channel ultrasonic device using an electrode arrangement for electroencephalography, characterized in that a plurality of the n-th ultrasonic transducers (500) are connected by a fourth wire (146).
4. In Paragraph 1, A multi-channel ultrasound device using an electrode arrangement for electroencephalography, characterized in that the first, second, third, and fourth frequencies are sequentially increased from the first frequency to the fourth frequency.
5. In Paragraph 1, A multi-channel ultrasonic device using an electrode arrangement for electroencephalography, characterized in that a plurality of the first, second, third, n ultrasonic transducers (100, 200, 400, 500) are arranged along the front-rear direction of the brain (10) in a headgear (20) having the 10-10 electrode arrangement for electroencephalography (EEG).
6. In Paragraph 1, A multi-channel ultrasonic device using an electrode arrangement for electroencephalography, characterized in that a plurality of the first, second, third, n ultrasonic transducers (100, 200, 400, 500) are arranged along the left-right direction of the brain (10) in a headgear (20) having the electrode arrangement for electroencephalography (EEG).