Electrophysiological Source Localization for Adaptive Brain Stimulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical stimulation therapies for conditions like Parkinson's disease rely on selecting appropriate electrodes and stimulation parameters, but lead movement and physiological changes can reduce efficacy and cause side effects due to improper targeting of tissue regions.

Innovation Solution

An implantable medical device (IMD) monitors electrical signals from multiple electrode combinations to determine the estimated location of signal sources, adjusts stimulation parameters, and displays the location via a user interface to ensure precise targeting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If electrical stimulation therapy is delivered using fixed electrode selections and parameters, then initial treatment can be established, but lead movement and physiological changes cause reduced efficacy and side effects over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetherapy efficacyVSAvoidtreatment duration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts stimulation parameters and electrode selections based on real-time monitoring of physiological signals and determined signal source locations. Instead of using fixed parameters, the IMD continuously adapts the therapy by selecting different electrode combinations and modifying stimulation characteristics according to the current anatomical and physiological state, thereby maintaining efficacy despite lead movement or physiological changes over time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback by monitoring physiological signals from the tissue and using this information to determine signal source locations. The determined locations feed back into the control system, which then adjusts stimulation parameters and electrode selections to maintain optimal therapy delivery to the correct anatomical targets, creating a closed-loop control system that compensates for lead movement and physiological variations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If multiple electrode combinations are monitored to track lead movement and physiological changes, then therapy efficacy is maintained, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetherapy efficacyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The IMD performs multiple functions using the same hardware components: it monitors physiological signals, determines signal source locations based on those signals, and delivers electrical stimulation therapy. The electrode combinations serve dual purposes of both sensing physiological activity and delivering stimulation, reducing the need for separate specialized components and thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining reliable therapy delivery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4140533B1Template-based determination of electrophysiological signal sources
Publication Date: 2026.04.08 MEDTRONIC INC
  • EP4140533B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4140533B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4140533B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Devices, systems, and techniques are disclosed for managing electrical stimulation therapy and/or sensing of physiological signals such as brain signals. For example, a system is configured to receive information representing a plurality of signals sensed from a tissue of a patient via a plurality of electrode combinations, wherein the plurality of electrode combinations comprises different electrode combinations comprising electrodes disposed at different positions of the lead implanted in the patient, determine one or more features from the information representing the plurality of signals, and compare the one or more features to a plurality of templates, each template of the plurality of templates representing respective locations of a signal source within the tissue. The system may then determine, based on the comparison of the one or more features to the plurality of templates, an estimated location of the signal source with respect to the lead.