High Frequency Electromagnetic Stimulation for Neural Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for diseases related to spontaneously active and quiescent neurons are challenging due to the difficulty in predicting the appropriate electrical parameters needed to modify these neurons effectively, leading to inefficient disease management.
Innovation Solution
The use of high frequency electromagnetic stimulation systems that apply electrical signals to target tissues, including the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, to inhibit overactive neurons, stimulate underactive neurons, and modulate the activity of dysfunctional neural populations, thereby restoring normal signaling capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional electrical stimulation is used to treat neurons, then electrical signals can be applied to trigger action potentials, but the appropriate electrical parameters are difficult to predict due to differences in membrane potentials between spontaneously active and quiescent neurons
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies high frequency electrical stimulation parameters (frequency ≥ 100 Hz, pulse width ≥ 100 μs, amplitude ≥ 0.5 mA) to fundamentally change the stimulation approach from conventional low-frequency methods. This parameter transformation enables effective modulation of both spontaneously active and quiescent neurons by inducing membrane hyperpolarization, thereby resolving the difficulty of predicting appropriate electrical parameters for different neuron types.
2Reliability
If high frequency electromagnetic stimulation is applied to modulate neurons, then spontaneous firing in overactive neurons is inhibited and excitability in quiescent neurons is increased, but the mechanism differs from conventional action potential triggering
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using conventional electrical stimulation that depolarizes the membrane to trigger action potentials, this patent inverts the approach by using high frequency stimulation to hyperpolarize the membrane potential. This inversion of the stimulation mechanism effectively inhibits spontaneously active neurons and increases excitability of quiescent neurons, achieving reliable modulation through a fundamentally different physiological pathway.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional spinal cord stimulation is used for pain relief, then pain relief can be achieved through paresthesia induction, but the therapeutic effect is limited and requires specific patient responses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs high frequency parameters (frequency ≥ 100 Hz, pulse width ≥ 100 μs, amplitude ≥ 0.5 mA) that fundamentally differ from conventional spinal cord stimulation parameters. This parameter transformation enables pain relief through membrane hyperpolarization rather than paresthesia induction, making the therapy effective for a broader range of patients including those who do not respond to conventional paresthesia-based approaches.
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
This approach effectively inhibits spontaneous firing in overactive neurons, increases excitability in quiescent neurons, and provides pain relief and therapeutic benefits without the need for conventional spinal cord stimulation-induced paresthesia, offering more effective and robust results.
Implementation Method 1
the electrical signal having a frequency of from about 1.5 kHz to about 100 kHz, wherein the electrical signal directly affects constituents of the cellular membrane to restore the signaling capabilities of the cells to normal homeostatic behavior
Data Source
AI summary
Electromagnetic stimulation for treating diseases, conditions associated with diseases and/or inhibiting pain with reduced side effects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, high-frequency stimulation in the range of from about 1.5 kHz to about 100 kHz may be applied to a patient's target tissue region to treat the disease, associated condition and/or to inhibit pain. Electrical stimulation in accordance with similar parameters can directly affect a cellular membrane, such as a neuron and in particular, a spontaneously active neuron and/or a quiescent neuron.