Minimizing negative side-effects from electromagnetic neural stimulation: Key neurotechnology patent #39

– Illustrative image from U.S. Patent No. 7,831,305 Today we highlight a 2010 patent by Advanced Neuromodulation Systems addressing a serious concern during the use of electromagnetic brain stimulation methods–where unintended stimulation of neurons can cause seizures or migraine headaches. U.S. Patent No. 7,831,305: Neural stimulation system and method responsive to collateral neural activity Assignee(s): Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc. Inventor(s): Bradford E. Gliner Technology Category: Transcranial Stimulation Issue Date: November 9, 2010 SharpBrains’ Take: The ‘305 patent addresses a phenomenon occurring during electromagnetic stimulation treatments of neurological conditions, where unintended stimulation of neurons can cause undesirable or collateral activity such as seizures or migraine headaches. Seizure activity may start when a collection of neurons known as the “seizure focus” exhibit activity that is not contained by adjacent neurons known as “surrounding inhibition.” The ‘305 patent discloses detecting the collateral activity associated with stimulation treatments (that may be due to lack of containment) and responding by either discontinuing the stimulation or applying a secondary stimulation to mitigate the collateral effects. Despite having only one independent claim, the ‘305 patent addresses an important unintended side effect of stimulation treatment and broadly covers the detection and countermeasures to that side-eff...
Source: SharpBrains - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Cognitive Neuroscience Health & Wellness Technology Advanced Neuromodulation Systems brain-stimulation migraine headaches neural stimulation Neural stimulation system neural-activity neuro-technology neurodegenerative disorders Neuro Source Type: blogs