Multimodal Brain Sensing Lead for Concurrent Physiological Monitoring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current implantable neurostimulator systems for detecting neurological dysfunction and conditions often lack the capability to acquire comprehensive, concurrent physiological measurements from multiple sensing modalities, limiting their effectiveness in monitoring and treating neurological disorders.
Innovation Solution
A multimodal brain sensing lead that integrates multiple sensing modalities such as neuronal field potential, single unit activity, multi unit activity, rheoencephalography, neurochemical, and optical blood volume and oxygenation measurements, allowing for chronic, localized monitoring and concurrent data acquisition to provide a more complete description of brain activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensing modalities are integrated into a single implantable lead, then measurement comprehensiveness and diagnostic accuracy are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing modalities (electrochemical sensors for neurotransmitters, optical sensors for blood oxygenation and volume, electrophysiological electrodes for field potential and unit activity, and rheoencephalography electrodes for blood flow) into a single integrated brain sensing lead. This merging allows concurrent acquisition of diverse physiological measurements from localized brain regions, resolving the contradiction by achieving comprehensive measurement capability while managing device complexity through unified design.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing lead is designed with multi-functional sensing elements that can detect various physiological parameters (neurotransmitter concentrations, blood oxygenation levels, blood volume changes, electrical activity, and blood flow) simultaneously. This universal design enables a single device to perform multiple diagnostic functions, improving measurement comprehensiveness without requiring separate implantable devices for each modality.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensing modalities are integrated into a single implantable lead, then diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic responsiveness are improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The complex sensing lead is divided into distinct functional segments or modules, each responsible for a specific sensing modality (e.g., separate electrochemical sensor arrays, optical sensor assemblies, and electrode groups). This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured and tested independently using optimized processes for that specific technology, then assembled into the complete lead, thereby improving ease of manufacture while maintaining diagnostic accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If concurrent physiological measurements from multiple modalities are acquired, then characterization of disease states and monitoring of therapeutic response are improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing system employs periodic or intermittent sampling of physiological parameters rather than continuous monitoring of all modalities simultaneously. Different sensing modalities are activated in alternating time windows or at different sampling intervals based on their respective measurement requirements. This periodic action reduces overall energy consumption while still achieving accurate characterization of disease states and therapeutic responses through time-multiplexed data acquisition.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical lead with at least a distal portion thereof implantable in the brain of a patient is described, together with methods and systems for using the lead. The lead is provided with at least two sensing modalities (e.g., two or more sensing modalities for measurements of field potential measurements, neuronal single unit activity, neuronal multi unit activity, optical blood volume, optical blood oxygenation, voltammetry and rheoencephalography). Acquisition of measurements and the lead components and other components for accomplishing a measurement in each modality are also described as are various applications for the multimodal brain sensing lead.