Method for the detection and treatment of aberrant neural-electric activity

Inventors

Imran, Mir

Assignees

Incube Laboratories LLC

Abstract

An apparatus for detection of ANEA comprising an introducer having at least one lumen. The introducer is introduced into brain tissue through an opening in the skull. A reference electrode is positioned at an introducer distal portion. A plurality of electrode members are advanceable within the at least one lumen with each member having an insulated portion and an exposed distal portion. The members have a non-deployed state in the introducer and a deployed state when outwardly advanced out of the introducer. In the deployed state, the members are substantially orthogonal to each other with the exposed distal portions defining a detection volume capable of determining an electric field vector produced by the ANEA and the direction of foci of the ANEA.

Core Innovation

The invention describes an implanted apparatus for detection of aberrant neural-electric activity in a brain, implemented with an introducer introduced into brain tissue. The introducer has a distal end including a plurality of lumens with a port coupled to each lumen, and a proximal end configured to be coupled to an electrical connector. Three electrode members are individually extendable from the lumens to form a group of electrode members, each electrode member defining a different axis of a Cartesian coordinate system with an origin at the distal end of the introducer.

Each electrode member has an insulated proximal portion and an exposed distal portion, with a non-deployed state and at least one deployed state in which the electrode member is extended. The exposed distal portion has a bend when the electrode member is in the at least one deployed state. When the three electrode members are extendable into corresponding deployed states, the bends cause the exposed distal portions to define a substantially orthogonal shaped detection volume for determining a location of a foci of aberrant neural-electric activity within the brain relative to the deployed electrode members, or determining a direction of a foci relative to the deployed electrode members.

A control module includes a stimulator device configured to send an inhibitor signal via the three electrode members to prevent an onset of an epileptic seizure. The control module is described as matching an inhibitor signal to a pattern of aberrant neural-electric activity that causes a pre-ictal event or an epileptic seizure, with the inhibitor signal set to be out of phase with that activity.

Claims Coverage

The provided set includes two independent claims (clm-00001 and clm-00018). Each independent claim includes a similar core combination of an introducer with lumens, three individually extendable electrodes forming a substantially orthogonal detection volume defined by exposed distal bends, and a control module with a stimulator device that sends an inhibitor signal via the three electrode members to prevent onset of an epileptic seizure. The inventive coverage differs by whether the detection volume is used to determine a location versus a direction of a foci of aberrant neural-electric activity.

Across the independent claims, the inventive subject matter centers on three individually extendable electrode members whose deployed exposed distal bends define a substantially orthogonal shaped detection volume for detecting aberrant neural-electric activity foci (location in one claim, direction in the other), together with a control module/stimulator device that sends an inhibitor signal via the three electrode members to prevent onset of an epileptic seizure.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications