Deep Brain Stimulation Pulse Bursts for Pathological Frequency Suppression
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices struggle to effectively suppress pathological brain signals without disrupting normal brain functions by delivering electrical stimulation that may entrain larger brain networks, leading to unwanted side effects.
Innovation Solution
A medical device delivers a sequence of pulse bursts with varying intra-burst frequencies to evoke synaptic depression in targeted brain areas, suppressing pathological brain signals without entraining the larger network by matching or mismatching the frequency of bioelectric brain signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrical stimulation is delivered to suppress pathological brain signals, then pathological signals are reduced, but normal brain functions may be disrupted causing side effects
Solution Approach 1:
The stimulation parameters are specifically tailored to target only the pathological frequency bands while preserving normal brain functions. The system adjusts amplitude, frequency, and pulse width parameters to create a localized effect on pathological signals without affecting surrounding normal neural activity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts stimulation parameters based on real-time monitoring of brain signals. The amplitude, frequency, and other parameters are continuously optimized to maintain suppression of pathological signals while avoiding disruption of normal functions, allowing adaptive response to changing brain states.
2Reliability
If high amplitude stimulation is used to suppress pathological signals, then suppression efficacy is improved, but side effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes multiple stimulation parameters including amplitude, frequency, pulse width, and cycle length to achieve effective suppression at lower amplitudes. By adjusting the combination of parameters rather than simply increasing amplitude, the system maintains efficacy while reducing side effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The stimulation is delivered in periodic bursts with specific cycle lengths rather than continuous high-amplitude stimulation. This periodic delivery pattern allows suppression of pathological signals while providing intervals that reduce cumulative side effects and allow normal brain functions to recover between stimulation episodes.
3Measurement precision
If stimulation parameters are optimized for one frequency, then suppression of that frequency is improved, but other pathological frequencies remain untreated
Solution Approach 1:
The stimulation protocol is divided into multiple frequency components or bursts, each targeting specific frequency bands. The system segments the treatment into discrete frequency-targeted stimulation episodes, allowing precise suppression of individual pathological frequencies while maintaining the ability to address multiple frequencies through sequential or combined delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The stimulation system is designed to deliver multiple frequency components through a single unified platform. The device can adaptively switch between different frequency targets or deliver composite waveforms that address multiple pathological frequencies, making the system universally applicable to various frequency-based pathologies.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure is directed to devices, systems, and techniques for delivering electrical stimulation. In some examples, a system includes processing circuitry configured to: receive information representative of a bioelectric brain signal recorded from a brain of a patient; and determine, based on the information, at least one pathological frequency of the bioelectric brain signal. Additionally, the processing circuitry is configured to select, based on the at least one pathological frequency, a sequence of pulse bursts at a pulse burst frequency, the sequence of pulse bursts at least partially defining electrical stimulation deliverable to an area of a brain of a patient, wherein adjacent pulse bursts within the sequence comprise different intra-burst pulse frequencies; and control a medical device to deliver the electrical stimulation comprising the sequence of pulse bursts to the area of the brain of the patient.