Device and Method for Effective Non-Invasive Two-Stage Neurostimulation

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This patent describes a non-invasive device and method for neuron stimulation in the brain or spinal cord using a coordinated two-stage approach. It employs multiple stimulation channels, applying distinct sequences of stimuli at different intensities and patterns over two consecutive time intervals. The first stage uses lower intensity with quickly changing stimulus sequences, and the second uses higher intensity with more stable sequence repetition. The method disrupts pathologically synchronized neuronal activity, which is characteristic of various neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Treatment of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, or post-stroke motor dysfunction.
• Therapy for psychiatric conditions including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and addiction.
• Management of chronic pain syndromes, fibromyalgia, and migraines.
• Alleviation of tinnitus by desynchronizing abnormal brain activity.
• Potential use in rehabilitation after brain or spinal cord injury.
• Improvement of symptoms in disorders with pathological neuronal synchronization, like epilepsy or Tourette syndrome.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Non-invasive approach reduces need for surgical procedures and associated risks.
• Personalized, adaptive stimulation for effective desynchronization without increasing side effects.
• Can be applied to a wide range of sensory modalities (e.g., acoustic, visual, tactile, etc.) and conditions.
• Reduces unwanted stimulation of non-target brain regions, minimizing discomfort and adverse effects.
• Enables robust and lasting therapeutic effects despite using lower initial stimulation strength.
• Potential for both open-loop (pre-set) and closed-loop (feedback-based) operation, which allows adaptation to patient responses.

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a device for stimulating neurons, comprising - a non-invasive stimulation unit for generating stimuli in a plurality of stimulation channels, the stimulation unit being designed such that the stimuli stimulate a neuron population in the brain and/or spinal cord of a patient via the stimulation channels in different locations, and - a control unit, which controls the stimulation unit during a first time interval and during a second time interval following the first time interval in different stimulation modes. The control unit controls the stimulation unit during at least 75% of the duration of the first time interval in a first stimulation mode such that the stimulation unit repeatedly generates sequences of stimuli and the order of the stimulation channels in which stimuli are generated within a sequence is constant for not more than 5 successively generated sequences and is then varied. The control unit controls the stimulation unit during at least 75% of the duration of the second time interval in a second stimulation mode such that the stimulation unit repeatedly generates sequences of stimuli and the order of the stimulation channels in which stimuli are generated within a sequence is constant for at least 25 successively generated sequences and is then varied. The intensity of stimuli in the first stimulation mode is lower than or equal to a predetermined stimulus intensity and the intensity of stimuli in the second stimulation mode is at least 1.3 times the predetermined stimulus intensity.