Device and Method for Calibration of Acoustic Desynchronizing Neurostimulation

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This patent describes an apparatus and method for the objective calibration of acoustic desynchronizing neurostimulation, particularly useful for neurological disorders like tinnitus, depression, and others involving pathological neural synchronization. The system delivers precisely controlled sound pulses to a patient, measures neural responses via EEG or similar technologies, and uses a control unit to analyze these responses in real-time. It automatically determines the optimal pitch and pattern for stimulation that best reduces abnormal neural synchronization, enabling tailored therapy without relying on subjective patient feedback.

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

• Objective and rapid calibration of acoustic neuromodulation therapy for tinnitus, including both tonal and noise-like forms.
• Personalized treatment for neurological and psychiatric disorders characterized by abnormal neural synchronization, such as Parkinson's, depression, ADHD, schizophrenia, epilepsy, and movement disorders.
• Efficient adjustment and monitoring of neurostimulation parameters in clinical neurotherapy devices.
• Research in brain oscillatory activity and its therapeutic modulation via acoustic stimulation.
• Optimization of neurostimulation protocols for improved success rates in auditory-based therapies.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Provides an objective, electrophysiology-based calibration for neural stimulation therapy, reducing subjective errors and inefficiency.
• Enables faster and more precise identification of optimal stimulation parameters for each patient, improving therapeutic outcomes.
• Permits treatment of a wider range of patients, including those unable to accurately describe their subjective symptoms (e.g., non-tonal tinnitus).
• Reduces treatment and calibration time, lowering patient discomfort and resource utilization in clinics.
• Enhances understanding and targeting of pathological brain rhythms, facilitating personalized medicine approaches in neurology and psychiatry.

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Patent Abstract

An apparatus for stimulating neurons, comprising a stimulation unit for applying pulse-like tones, a measuring unit for picking up measurement signals that render neural activity by the stimulated neurons, a control and analysis unit for controlling the stimulation unit and for analysing the measurement signals, wherein the control and analysis unit is embodied such that it applies a first pulse train having varied pitch, takes the measurement signals picked up in response to the first pulse train as a basis for selecting at least one first pitch range or pitch in which there is phase synchronisation between the pulse train and the neural activity, actuates the stimulation unit such that it applies two phase-shifted second pulse trains, the pitch of the pulse trains being varied in opposite directions and a starting value for the pitch of the second pulse trains being chosen on the basis of the at least one first pitch range or pitch, and takes this as a basis for responding by selecting a second pitch range or pitch in which the amplitude of the neural activity is at a minimum.