IE912227A1 - Method and device for the treatment of epilepsy - Google Patents

Abstract

A therapeutical apparatus for treating epilepsy or related diseases includes a positive electrical impulse generator using electrodes to apply impulses to the head of a patient, with said impulses having a frequency of 1.5-28 Hz, a peak voltage of 1-190 volts and a length of 0.025-2.5 ms.

Description

This invention concerns a method and associated device for the treataent of epilepsy by means of electric pulses applied to the head via electrodes.

It Is known that electric pulses can, in certain cases, be used to treat patients stricken with epilepsy, particularly by means of implanted electrodes. furthermore, frequencies In the Mhz (megahertz) range are used for various other therapeutic purposes.

It has now been determined that higher, unexpected efficacy can be achieved by utilising a method and a device characterized by the fact that pulses, with a repetition frequency in the 1.5 - 28 Hz (hertz) range, are transmitted to the patient via electrodes simply applied to the patient's head. The pulses can be positive or negative in polarity. According to one specific method of operating the invention, the polarity of the pulses is preferably positive.

FAX •2-51Z7241 PAGE 03 era e ? an C': E »c » ' E Γ t: ·· ϋ F U t: • »·! tj P r] The pulees can also be multiple pulses with different repetition frequencies, employed either sequentially or alternately, or even by using a carrier frequency or one frequency nodulated by another.

According to one specific aethod of the invention, a waveform that la basically a negative square wave is superimposed on a pulse that is normally positive, in such a way that the energy of the negative portion of the composite waveform is essentially equal to the energy of the positive portion. Any resulting electrolysis phenomenon can be overcome.

According to the invention, electrodes applied to the IS patient's head transmit electric pulses with a low repetition frequency, in the range mentioned above, and with an amplitude between l - i?o volts (peak).

The width of the pulses, which can vary froa 0.025 ms 20 (milliseconds) to 2.5 ms, is optimally in the 0.20 - 0.30 mm range. A pulse width of 0.25 ms (t 0.1 ms) has been used with good results.

Three electrodes are used for optimum effect, e.g., one positive frontal electrode and two negative electrodes at the base of the nucha. More than three electrodes can also be used.

IE 912227 jgnion ξη PAX 32-2-513241 PAGE 04 Patients are typically treated in two consecutive sessions, each lasting approximately 10 minutes. A pulse repetition frequency of 1.5 Hz (or approximately 1.5 Hz) is used during the first lo-ninute session, and e frequency of 2ft Hz (or approximately 28 Hz) is used for the second 10-minute session. The pulse amplitude, which can be adapted to each individual case, can vary between 1 - 170 volts (peek I .

A reduction in the number of crises has been noted for epileptic patients who have been so treated. For most of these cases in which neo-encephalographic monitoring (computer-controlled electroencephalography) has been employed, an Improvement in cerebral electric activity has been noted. Some patients have responded positively to this method when other therapies proved ineffective.

The pulse generator used in operating the invention ean easily he designed by a person skilled In electronics.

The device used for operating the invention can be powered by a single 6-volt battery protected by a fuse. The battery is rechargeable from the mains· protective circuitry prevents the device from being operated directly from the meins.

GUGNION GA FAX 32-2-51ZT241 PAGE 05 i. ζ z.

F >< Ϊ ί t X ? J In on· specific version, ch· device includes· two singlechannel input jacks; two potentiometers, one ot which is equipped with an on-off switch; and various digital displays- The device is thus optimally provided with a frequency display, a current display, a resistance display, and a voltage display. The device can also be provided with a battery charge level indicator. In order to prevent any preaature damage to the battery, it is automatically disconnected from the circuit when the battery voltage drops to 4.5 volts.

The voltneter and ammeter indicate peak values of voltage and current, respectively. The ohameter indicates the value of the voltage divided by the value of the current (R · v/1). The ohmmeter reading is meaningful only for significant values of v and 1.

The device is optimally compact and transportable.

Figure 1 shows the pulse shape under no-load (A) and load (B> conditions. * t K V; £: » h J · t L. 3IJGNI0N 3A 32-2-5137241 The block diagram of Fig. 2 shows the invention in a typical configuration. The reference numbers on the diagram correspond to the following components! 1 220-volt mains supply 2 rectlfier/oharglng circuit 3 control circuit 4 battery 5 relay 10 6 power supply 7 frequency adjustment 9 oscillator 9 frequency meter 10 wave-shaping circuit 15 11 adjustment 12 buffer amplifier 13 output connections for electrodes 14 current buffer 15 voltage buffer 20 16 voltage memory 17 current memory 16 control circuit 19 v/1 divider circuit 20 ohmmeter 25 21 voltmeter 22 ammeter Several other equivalent schematics can be adopted within the context of the invention.

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Claims (14)

CLAIMS 1) Device intended for therapeutic use, characterized by 5 the fact that it includes an electric pulse generator and electrodes for applying said electric pulses to the patient's head; the pulses coning from the electrodes have a frequency repetition rate between

1.5 - 28 HZ; the voltage of these pulses varies from 10 1 - 190 volts (peak), and the pulse width is between 0.025 - 2.5 ms.

2. ) Device, in accordance with Claia l, characterized by the fact that the pulses are positive.

3. ) Device, in accordance with Claims 1 & 2, for the treatment of epilepsy and related illnesses.

4. ) Device, in accordance with Claims 1 - 3, characterized 20 by the fact the pulses are multiple pulses comprised of different repetition frequencies, employed either sequentially or alternately, or even by using a carrier frequency or one frequency modulated by another.

5. ) Device, in accordance with Claims 1-4, characterized by the fact the width of the pulses falls within the range 0.20 0.30 ms . 61 Device, in accordance with Claim 5, characterized by the fact that the pulse width is 0,25 ms. 7} Device, In accordance with Claims 1-6, characterized 5 by the fact that it incorporates at least three electrodes applied to the patient's head.

6. 8) Device, in accordance with Claim 7, characterized by the fact that two electrodes are negative and one 10 electrode Is positive.

7. 9) Device, in accordance with any of Claims 1-8, characterized by the fact that it includes the electronics circuits shown In Pig. 2, or the 15 equivalent thereof.

8. 10) Device, in accordance with claim l, characterized by the fact that a negative waveform is superimposed on electric pulses that are normally positive.

9. 11) Device, in accordance with claim 9, characterized by the fact that the waveform is essentially a negative square wave. 25

10. 12) Device, in accordance with Claim· 9 or 10, characterized by the fact that the energy content of the negative square wave is essentially equal to that of the positive portion. -ί .imam,anti 30 35yd XUd bS NOINana

11. 13) Use of a device, .n accordance with Claims 1 - 12, far the treatment of epilepsy or related lllneaaee.

12. 14) Method of treatment of the human body characterized by 5 the fact that at least two electrodes are applied to the head of an epileptic patient, and that said electrodes emit positive electric pulses, the width of which varies between 0.025 - 25 ms; the amplitude of said pulses varies between 1 - 170 volts; the 10 repetition frequency of said pulses varies between 1 -100 Hz, and optimally lies in the 1.5 - 28 Hz range. IS 00 33bd ΐΡΖάζτς-Ξ-Ξ£ xbd bS ΝΟΙΝ9Π0

13. 15) A device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

14. 16) A method of treatment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.