Crown Coil Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Depth Attenuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) coils face challenges in effectively stimulating deep brain structures with minimal attenuation in depth, limiting their therapeutic and research applications.
Innovation Solution
The development of a crown coil configuration that wraps around the head, featuring adjustable spacers and a fanned design to focus energy on the frontal lobe while reducing stimulation in other areas, allowing for deeper and more effective brain region targeting with less energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If conventional TMS coils are used, then the coil structure is simple, but the stimulation depth is limited with high attenuation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional planar coil configurations to a three-dimensional crown coil structure that wraps around the head. This dimensional change allows the coil to conform to the head's curvature and deliver magnetic fields more effectively to deep brain structures, reducing energy attenuation with depth while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Use of energy by moving object
If a crown coil wrapping around the head is used, then deeper brain structures are stimulated with less energy, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The crown coil is divided into multiple discrete turns or segments that can be independently positioned and adjusted. This segmentation allows the coil to wrap around the head's contour while maintaining flexibility in configuring the magnetic field distribution, achieving deep brain stimulation with reduced energy consumption without excessive structural complexity.
3Measurement precision
If a fanned coil design is used to focus energy on the frontal lobe, then stimulation precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fanned coil design implements local quality by varying the density and orientation of coil turns in specific regions. The coils are fanshaped with higher density over the frontal lobe to focus energy precisely on this region, while having lower density in other areas. This localized optimization achieves high stimulation precision for frontal lobe targeting without requiring complex configurations throughout the entire coil structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The crown coil design achieves stronger stimulation of deep brain structures with reduced energy requirements, enabling more effective treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders and expanding the range of accessible targets for both therapeutic and research applications.
Implementation Method 1
Magnetic fields may be generated by large current pulses in strong magnets arranged close to the head of a subject
Data Source
AI summary
A coil suitable for tissue stimulation and especially for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) may be used in conjunction with a pulse generator to induce electric field in the brain with less attenuation in depth compared to existing TMS coils. In an example, a coil winding is formed in a solenoid configuration around the head. Various related features, methods, and embodiments are described.