Personalized TMS Pulse Timing Using I-Wave Periodicity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocols for neurological and psychiatric disorders are standardized and fail to account for individual variations in cortical physiology, leading to inconsistent therapeutic outcomes due to the lack of personalization in aligning stimulation pulses with unique i-wave periodicity.
Innovation Solution
A personalized brain stimulation apparatus that utilizes i-wave periodicity-dependent Quadri-Pulse Theta Burst Stimulation (iQPS) to deliver tailored TMS parameters by measuring and synchronizing with each patient's individual i-wave periodicity, using a TMS stimulator and EMG device to record and analyze motor evoked potentials (MEPs) for precise cortical modulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standardized TMS protocols are used, then the treatment process is simple and consistent, but therapeutic outcomes show high variability due to ignoring individual i-wave periodicity differences
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement of the patient's i-wave periodicity before delivering therapeutic TMS pulses. This preliminary action characterizes the patient's cortical physiology to enable subsequent personalization of stimulation timing, thereby improving therapeutic consistency without adding excessive complexity during treatment delivery
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses measured i-wave periodicity as feedback to dynamically adjust the timing of TMS pulses. This feedback mechanism ensures that stimulation is delivered at optimal moments in the cortical cycle, maximizing therapeutic effect while maintaining protocol simplicity through automated parameter adjustment
2Productivity
If TMS pulses are delivered without aligning to i-wave periodicity, then the stimulation protocol is simple to implement, but cortical excitability modulation is suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The system delivers TMS pulses in a periodic manner synchronized to the patient's intrinsic i-wave periodicity. This periodic action ensures that stimulation occurs at consistent phases of cortical excitability cycles, maximizing treatment efficiency while the periodic nature simplifies the control mechanism compared to aperiodic or continuously adjusted timing
3Loss of time
If conventional rTMS protocols are used with fixed frequencies, then the protocol is easy to administer, but lengthy treatment sessions are required to achieve meaningful clinical outcomes
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the timing parameter of TMS pulses based on individual i-wave periodicity measurements. By optimizing pulse timing to match cortical excitability cycles, the system achieves meaningful clinical outcomes in shorter treatment sessions compared to conventional fixed-frequency protocols, while maintaining ease of administration through automated parameter selection
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
Enhances cortical plasticity and therapeutic efficacy by reducing variability and optimizing treatment responses for neurological and psychiatric disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and stroke, with improved safety and tolerability through individualized stimulation.
Implementation Method 1
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has emerged over the past few decades as a powerful non-invasive technique for modulating cortical excitability
Implementation Method 2
An integrated electromyography (EMG) device records motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from for example an abductor pollicis brevis muscle
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an apparatus for treating neurological or psychiatric disorders using i-wave periodicity-dependent Quadri-Pulse Theta Burst Stimulation (iQPS). The system comprises a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) stimulator configured to deliver test pulses to a target motor cortical area and therapeutic theta bursts to a treatment area with pulse frequency tailored to the patient's individual i-wave periodicity. An electromyography (EMG) device records motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from a target muscle and analyzes the intervals between MEPs to determine the i-wave periodicity. The personalized stimulation enhances cortical plasticity by synchronizing stimulation with the brain's intrinsic neural timing. The invention is applicable to neurological and psychiatric conditions that include depression, schizophrenia, stroke recovery and neuropathic pain. Advantages include improved treatment efficacy, reduced variability in patient response and a non-invasive, adaptive therapy model that aligns with the patient's unique neurophysiological characteristics, offering a precise and scalable approach to brain stimulation.