Selective Neurostimulation for Mood Disorders
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for severe or life-threatening depression and other mood disorders are not sufficiently responsive, as they often fail to address the underlying biological causes and may not provide adequate relief from symptoms.
Innovation Solution
The combination of selective deep brain stimulation (DBS) and cranial nerve stimulation, targeting specific areas of the brain associated with mood disorders, using both electrical and chemical therapeutic signals to modulate neuronal activity, including the use of electrodes and chemical agents to stimulate areas like the insula, subcallosal area, and cingulate, to alleviate symptoms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional treatments (medication, therapy) are used for severe depression, then treatment accessibility is improved, but therapeutic effectiveness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional pharmacological and psychological treatments with direct electrical stimulation of brain circuits. The neurostimulator device delivers controlled electrical pulses to specific brain regions (such as the subcallosal cingulate cortex) to modulate neural activity and treat depression, substituting the mechanical/chemical approach of medication with an electrical field-based approach that directly affects neural circuits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by targeting specific brain regions with altered neural activity patterns. Instead of treating the brain globally, the system identifies and stimulates particular circuits (e.g., subcallosal cingulate cortex, ventral medial prefrontal cortex) that are hyperactive or hypoactive in depression patients, delivering localized electrical stimulation to modify activity in those specific areas while leaving other brain regions unaffected.
2Reliability
If deep brain stimulation is applied to treat mood disorders, then therapeutic effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and invasiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the brain stimulation system into distinct functional components: a neurostimulator device that generates electrical pulses, lead wires that transmit the signals, and electrode arrays that deliver stimulation to specific brain regions. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates programming of different stimulation patterns for various brain targets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by enabling adjustable stimulation parameters including pulse amplitude, frequency, and duration that can be modified based on patient response. The system can adapt stimulation intensity and pattern over time, transitioning from initial higher-intensity pulses to optimized long-term parameters, and can switch between different stimulation modes (e.g., high-frequency vs. low-frequency) to treat different symptoms or adjust to changing clinical needs.
3Reliability
If electrical stimulation parameters are increased to improve therapeutic effect, then symptom alleviation is enhanced, but risk of adverse effects increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the system monitors patient response to stimulation and adjusts parameters accordingly. Clinical feedback from patient mood changes, combined with potential neural feedback signals, allows the stimulation parameters to be optimized in real-time or between sessions, increasing effectiveness when needed while reducing intensity when approaching adverse effect thresholds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by systematically varying electrical stimulation characteristics (amplitude, frequency, pulse width) to find the optimal therapeutic window. The system can switch between different parameter sets to achieve desired therapeutic effects while avoiding excessive stimulation that causes adverse effects such as pain, anxiety, or neurological side effects. Gradual parameter adjustment allows identification of individual patient tolerance levels.
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 offers a more effective treatment for mood and anxiety disorders by directly addressing the underlying neural activity associated with these conditions, providing symptom relief and potentially preventing the onset of symptoms, with adjustable stimulation parameters to optimize therapeutic benefits.
Implementation Method 1
applying a first therapeutic stimulation signal to the first stimulator such that the neuronal activity of the neural tissue is modified
Data Source
AI summary
A method and device for treating a mood and/or anxiety disorder are disclosed which comprise electrical, chemical or magnetic stimulation of certain areas of the brain to modulate neuronal activity of areas associated with symptoms of mood disorders. In certain embodiments, deep brain stimulation is combined with cranial nerve stimulation to enhance symptomatic relief of the disorder. Certain embodiments also employ a sensing capability to optimize the therapeutic treatment regimen.