Systems and methods for neuro-EEG synchronization therapy
Inventors
Phillips, James William • Jin, Yi
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-10065048-B2
Publication Date
2018-09-04
Expiration Date
Abstract
Described are methods, devices, and systems for a novel, inexpensive, easy to use therapy for a number of disorders. Described are methods and devices to treat disorders that involves no medication. Methods and devices described herein use alternating magnetic fields to gently “tune” the brain and affect mood, focus, and cognition of subjects.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to magnetic therapeutic devices configured to apply a varying magnetic field to a head of a human subject. The device includes a helmet with a concave surface that receives a portion of the head, first and second permanent magnets contained within the helmet, and a controller subunit coupled to the permanent magnets to control rotation to generate the varying magnetic field. The treatment region is exposed to a half-wave or full-wave magnetic flux based on movement of permanent magnets relative to the concave helmet surface.
The controller subunit rotates the first and second permanent magnets synchronously about axes that are different and parallel to each other, and the axes are parallel to at least a portion of the concave surface. The invention further specifies controllable magnetic-field parameters including intensity, frequency, and amplitude of the waveform or magnetic-flux change, and identifies a magnetic phase between multiple magnets. Full waveform and half waveform are produced through relative pole motion using rotating north/south poles and pole polarities, with optional pole shielding and pole-width related effects on the delivered waveform.
The invention relates the varying magnetic field to EEG-band intrinsic frequency tuning and resonance metrics. It describes EEG sensing with rotating magnets while accounting for induced artifacts, including removal of a DC component, fast Fourier transformation, fitting a Gaussian curve to FFT peaks, and selecting parameters based on goodness of fit. The resonance metrics include Q-factor, coherence between multiple brain sites, and EEG phase between two sites, including a magnetic field phase relationship using magnets positioned so a magnetic field is out-of-phase.
Claims Coverage
The provided claim coverage identifies one core independent feature set: a helmet device with a concave surface and two permanent magnets whose synchronous rotation about different parallel axes generates a varying magnetic field. Additional claim features link magnet rotation and field parameters to EEG-band intrinsic frequency and Q-factor, and to use of the varying magnetic field for neurological disorders or neuropathic pain.
Helmet with concave surface receiving head portion
A device includes a helmet comprising a concave surface that receives at least a portion of the head of the human subject.
First and second permanent magnets in helmet
The device comprises a first and a second permanent magnet contained within the helmet.
Controller rotating permanent magnets to generate varying magnetic field
A controller subunit is coupled to the permanent magnets and operable to control rotation of the permanent magnets relative to the concave surface thereby generating the varying magnetic field.
Synchronous rotation about different parallel axes
The first and the second permanent magnets rotate synchronously about axes that are different and parallel to each other, wherein the axes are parallel to at least a portion of the concave surface.
Selecting rotation frequency based on intrinsic EEG-band frequency and a target frequency
The device controls the rotation frequency of permanent magnets to be lower or higher than an intrinsic EEG-band frequency of a human subject based on whether the intrinsic frequency is above or below a target frequency.
Handling intrinsic frequency and Q-factor for a specified EEG band
The device calculates or uploads information about a human subject including at least an intrinsic frequency in a specified EEG band and the Q-factor of that intrinsic frequency in the same band.
Using varying magnetic field to improve neurological disorders or neuropathic pain
The device is configured to use a varying magnetic field to improve neurological disorders or neuropathic pain in a human subject, where the neuropathic pain includes specified neuralgias and neuropathies and the neurological disorder includes specified brain, spinal cord, nerve-system, and neurological conditions.
Additional synchronizable permanent magnet on a third parallel axis
The device further includes a third permanent magnet coupled to the controller subunit that can be rotated about a third axis parallel to at least part of the concave surface, with the third axis distinct from the axes of the other permanent magnets.
Overall, the claims describe a helmet-based magnetic device using synchronously rotating permanent magnets about different parallel axes to generate a varying magnetic field, with additional features linking operation to intrinsic EEG-band frequency, Q-factor, and specified neurological disorders or neuropathic pain.
Stated Advantages
Improve neurological disorders or neuropathic pain in a human subject.
Documented Applications
Using the varying magnetic field to improve neurological disorders including brain neurological disorder, spinal cord disorder, peripheral nervous system disorder, cranial nerve disorder, autonomic nervous system disorder, seizure disorder, movement disorder, sleep disorder, headache, lower back pain, neck pain, delirium, dementia, dizziness, vertigo, stupor, coma, head injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, demylenating disease, infection of the brain or spinal cord, prion disease.
Using the varying magnetic field to improve neuropathic pain including occipital neuralgia, neuritis, trigeminal neuralgia, peripheral neuralgia, sciatic neuralgia, intercostal neuralgia, postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, and glossopharyngeal neuralgia.
Interested in licensing this patent?