Magnetic Stimulation With Variable Pulsed Intervals

Abstract

A method of modulating a brain activity of a mammal is achieved by subjecting the mammal to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) with an rTMS apparatus at variable pulse intervals for a time sufficient to modulate said brain activity. Improvement in a physiological condition or a clinical condition is achieved. Conditions to be treated include but are not limited to PTSD, autism spectrum disorder and Alzheimer's disease. Wavelet transform analysis is used to determine the variable pulse intervals employed.

Claims

1. Use of a repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) apparatus made to generate and deliver rTMS pulses at variable pulse intervals for the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Alzheimer's Disease (AD),

2. The rTMS apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rTMS apparatus is programmed to deliver electromagnetic pulses at variable pulse intervals derived from a wavelet transform.

3. The rTMS apparatus of claim 2 used for the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), memory impairment, depression, pain, addiction, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD), anxiety, Parkinson's Disease (PD), hypertension, libido dysfunction, motor function abnormalities, small height in young children, stress, obesity, sleep disorders, eating disorders, concentration/focus abnormalities, speech abnormalities, intelligence deficits, cognition abnormalities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD), schizophrenia, coma, bipolar disorders, tinnitus, fibromyalgia, chronic Lyme disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), autoimmune diseases, gout, diabetes, arthritis, trauma rehab, athletic performance, cognitive improvement, and stroke.

4. An improved rTMS apparatus wherein the improvement comprises programming the rTMS apparatus to deliver rTMS pulses at variable pulse intervals.

5. The improved rTMS apparatus of claim 4 wherein the variable pulse intervals are derived from a wavelet transform.

6. An rTMS apparatus that generates magnetic pulses which comprises a program in the apparatus that generates magnetic pulses at variable pulse intervals.

7. The rTMS apparatus of claim 6 wherein the variable pulse intervals are derived from a wavelet transform.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 shows EEG raw data and extracted signal by a wavelet analysis.

[0009] FIG. 2 shows the results of a patient's EEG power spectra before and after treatment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The term “mammal” when used herein includes any mammal but especially humans. Non-human mammals include non-human primates, zoo animals, companion animals (dogs, cats) and performance animals such as race horses and breeding animals. Any reference to “humans” described herein will have applicability to other mammals that exhibit the same physiological or medical conditions. Any reference to “patient” when used herein has applicability to any mammal (preferably humans) that may experience the particular condition to which the patient reference is made.

[0011] In practicing the present invention, an EEG is conducted on a patient experiencing physiological conditions and/or medical conditions in need of treatment. The raw EEG data is analyzed with a wavelet transform algorithm resulting in a unique patient EEG wavelet signal. The pattern of the EEG wavelet signal is used to program the TTL pulses, or other triggers, generated by the rTMS apparatus into variable pulse intervals. rTMS is administered to the patient with variable pulse intervals for a time sufficient to modulate a brain activity which results in an improvement in the physiological condition or the clinical condition being treated. In a preferred embodiment variable pulse intervals are employed in an rTMS protocol used for a time sufficient to modulate a brain activity resulting in an improvement in a physiological condition or a clinical condition. Preferably, the treatments are administered daily or 5 days/week for a month after which the patient's progress will be re-evaluated. The variable pulse interval settings are achieved by programming the rTMS apparatus with the patient's EEG signal extracted by wavelet analysis to provide magnetic stimulation with variable pulse intervals. The specific brain activity, or brain wave frequency bandwidth, to be modulated is dictated by the patient's EEG. A preferred brain frequency bandwidth is 8-13 Hz. The maximum intensity setting of the magnetic pulses is generally limited to the patient's motor threshold or lower. It is preferred to set the peak pulse power/intensity of the rTMS to about 80% of the patient's motor threshold.

[0012] The rTMS treatments according to the present invention are administered according to well known protocols employing magnetic coils. The time of actual magnetic stimulation over a set period of time will vary based on each clinical presentation. It is preferred to administer the magnetic stimulation for six continuous seconds per minute of the rTMS session. Sessions can last from 15 to 60 minutes and preferably about 30 minutes. Magnetic coils are placed in close proximity or against a patient's head preferably adjacent to the area of the head where the desired brain frequency wavelengths predominate in the patient's brain. For example, if treating a patient with a frequency bandwidth in the 8-13 Hz range then the magnetic rTMS coils are generally placed against the frontal lobe area (forehead) of the patient where the variable pulse interval frequencies are administered. For treating a patient with variable pulse interval frequencies in more than one frequency bandwidth range, the magnetic coils are positioned adjacent to brain regions that the patient's EEG has identified as having poor coherence, low energy and/or regions that are non-synchronous.

[0013] Patients/mammals can be treated for any one or more of the brain wave frequency ranges described herein. When more than one brain wave frequency bandwidth range is targeted the rTMS variable pulsed intervals can be administered simultaneously or sequentially in one treatment session. When treating multiple brain wave frequency bandwidth ranges, the rTMS can be delivered by an rTMS device that can deliver variable pulsed interval frequencies to more than one area of the patient's head. Alternatively, multiple rTMS devices can be used to deliver the desired variable pulsed interval frequencies to the desired areas.

[0014] A patient in need of treatment is subjected to an EEG resulting in an EEG data set. The EEG data is then analyzed with a wavelet transform algorithm resulting in the patient's EEG signal pattern 102 (FIG. 1). The patient's EEG signal extracted by wavelet analysis is then used to determine the variable pulse intervals used in the patient's rTMS treatment.

[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, the EEG raw data profile 101 is analyzed with a wavelet transform algorithm resulting in the patient's individual wavelet pattern 102. The EEG signal pattern is then analyzed to determine a time sequence with period variation A.sub.0, A.sub.1, A.sub.2 . . . A.sub.n and amplitude settings with intensity variation C.sub.1-D.sub.1, C.sub.2-D.sub.2, C.sub.3-D.sub.3 . . . C.sub.n-D.sub.n. The power settings are determined by the magnitude of each EEG wave measured between the peak (C) and the prior trough (D). The rTMS trigger pulse occurs at the peak of each wave determined by the wavelet analysis, and in FIG. 1, that would involve “n” number of pulses—one pulse at A.sub.1, A.sub.2, . . . A.sub.n. It should be understood that n>1 and there could be more or less than 3 pulses per train of pulses depending on the EEG and wavelet data. The timing of the pulses is shown by the T values T.sub.1, T.sub.2, and T.sub.n which are determined by the period between EEG waves depicted by the wavelet transform analysis. When targeting brain waves in the 8-13 Hz range the timing of the pulses will vary but will be between 75-125 milliseconds (ms).

[0016] FIG. 2 is a graph of power spectra of a patient's EEG and plots power 201 against frequency 202 showing pre-treatment 304 and a post-treatment 303 profiles.

[0017] Once a patient's EEG signal is identified by wavelet transform analysis it is used to program the rTMS apparatus to deliver the variable pulse interval settings to be used in that patient's rTMS treatment.

[0018] Additionally, the present invention relates to an improved rTMS apparatus wherein the improvement comprises a means for delivering rTMS pulses as variable pulse intervals. In one embodiment, the rTMS apparatus is programmed to deliver variable pulse intervals. Preferably the peak power or intensity delivered to a patient is below the patient's motor threshold and preferably at 40-90% of the patient's motor threshold while the rest of the pulse intensity varies proportional to the corresponding EEG signal wave amplitude.

[0019] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.