JP2021100727A - METHOD AND DEVICE TO PROVIDE STIMULATION WITH FLASHING LIGHT TO APPLY TO 40 Hz FLASHING LIGHT THERAPY - Google Patents

Abstract

To noninvasively apply stimulation with flashing light which flashes at about 40 Hz to the hippocampus inside the cranial bone to prevent, reduce, and treat dementia.SOLUTION: A light source 2 which emits near infrared light with wavelengths of 650 to 1000 nm called "biological window", which passes through biological tissues such as the cranial bone, blood vessels, and cerebral nerves is provided in the oral cavity to apply flashing light flashing at about 40 Hz toward the hippocampus 3. Taking the shortest route to transport light energy from the oral cavity 1 to the hippocampus 3 reduces the total amount of energy to be diffused and absorbed by cranial nerve cells just before light reaches the hippocampus 3, thereby preventing the cerebral nerves from being damaged due to excessive irradiation with energy.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention provides a device that directly and non-invasively stimulates the hippocampus inside the skull in the technical field of 40 Hz Flashing Light Therapy for the prevention, alleviation, and treatment of dementia. The purpose.

MIT's 40 Hz flash therapy (Patent Document 1) is a blue laser beam with a repetition frequency of about 40 Hz (wavelength 473 nm, output about 1 mW) via an optical fiber cable invasively embedded in the upper part of the hippocampal region of mouse brain cells. An animal experiment in which a flash stimulus was applied was found to have the effect of restoring the memory ability that had already declined.
After that, non-invasive treatment equipment (no surgery to implant the light source in the body) was adopted by applying the technology of brain wave induction by perceptual stimuli such as the patient's sight and hearing, and the therapeutic effect was proved by clinical research and clinical trials. It was designated as an epoch-making treatment device by the US FDA (Non-Patent Document 1).
The term "about" in the notation "about 40 Hz" in the present invention means that the frequency applicable to 40 Hz flash therapy is not limited to a strict 40.0 Hz. That is, there is a frequency range around 40.0 Hz that produces the effect of 40 Hz flash therapy, and a slight frequency range is allowed around 40.0 Hz as the repetition frequency of the flash stimulus given by 40 Hz flash therapy. means.

On the other hand, there are also commercially available instruments that apply 40 Hz flash therapy using the flash stimulus emitted by a non-invasive light source. The wavelength range of near-infrared light (650 to 1000 nm) is also called a "window of the living body" because it absorbs less light by water or hemoglobin in the living body and penetrates the living tissue well. Light of the wavelength of this "living body window" can be used to non-invasively irradiate brain tissues with light energy through living tissues such as the skull, scalp, and blood vessels.
For example, in the phototherapy device of Vielight, Canada, a treatment that stimulates flashes from the upper surface and anterior bottom of the brain by irradiating LED light with a wavelength of 810 nm in the near infrared region that passes through the skull and living tissue from the upper part of the skull and the nasal cavity. In clinical trials of the law, the effect of reducing the symptoms of dementia has been confirmed. (Patent Document 2 and Non-Patent Document 2)

Special Table 2019-502429 Special Table 2020-534042

"Non-invasive Neurostimulation Device Wins FDA's Breakthrough Status", Alzheimer's News today, January 25, 2021 "Photobiomodulation for Improving Brain Function in Dementia", ClinicalTrials.gov. gov Identifier: NCT03160027, U.S.A. S. National Library of Medicine

In the early stages of Alzheimer's disease or MCI (mild cognitive impairment), it is known that symptoms of cognitive impairment begin to appear due to forgetfulness due to hippocampal atrophy. However, although the 40 Hz therapy using the sensory stimulus of Patent Document 1 can improve the symptoms related to dementia around the brain region that controls the visual, auditory, and tactile sensations, there is a problem that the stimulus of about 40 Hz cannot be directly applied to the hippocampus itself. is there.

In addition, Vielight (registered trademark) irradiates a plurality of parts of the brain with light emitted by a near-infrared LED having a wavelength of 810 nm that is transmitted through the skull and living tissue from above the head or from the nasal cavity. However, in the route above the head or from the nasal cavity to the hippocampus, the distance through which light should pass is long and the layer of living tissue is thick. Therefore, no matter how the wavelength of the "living body window", light energy is scattered and absorbed by a large amount of cranial nerve tissue on the way, and sufficient light energy does not reach the position of the hippocampus near the back side of the brain.

If a light source that emits excessive energy is used, the light stimulus may reach the hippocampus through a large amount of brain tissue located between the irradiation point of light provided outside the skull and the hippocampus. However, we must be wary of the potential for significant damage to the nervous system of the brain in and around the path of too intense rays, or the risk of inducing brain disease such as stroke.

In the present invention, in order to apply a non-invasive flash stimulus to the hippocampus, near-infrared light having a wavelength of a "living body window" that passes through living tissue is blinked at about 40 Hz, and a starting point for irradiating light toward a target. The route is selected so that the nerve tissue of the brain included in the route on the line through which light passes from the point (hereinafter referred to as light source 2) to the hippocampus as the target point is as small as possible.
That is, by providing a light source 2 in the oral cavity and irradiating light at the hippocampus at a short distance, the total amount of light energy scattered and absorbed by living tissues including bones, nerve tissues, blood vessels, etc. is suppressed and irradiated. Prevents damage to the cerebral nerves around the hippocampus by reducing the required output of light energy.

Specifically, the light source 2 is provided in the oral cavity and is located in the lower part of the cerebrum through a part of the skull (sphenoid bone and / or the temporal bone: Temporal bone) between the oral cavity and the cerebrum. It irradiates near-infrared light with the wavelength of the "living body window" so as to hit the sphenoid bone directly.

It is desirable that the position and irradiation direction of the light source 2 provided in the oral cavity are appropriately determined for pinpointing the hippocampus with a light beam based on the three-dimensional position data of the oral cavity and the hippocampus of the subject (patient).
For example, based on medical image data such as 3D MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), the origin and axial direction of the 3D coordinate axes are determined based on the skeleton and teeth around the skull and oral cavity, and based on the coordinate axes. The irradiation direction from the position of the light source 2 is determined toward the Kaiba as a target.

In addition, when 40Hz therapy is applied not only to the hippocampus but also to the entire upper part of the oral cavity including the hippocampus or to the cerebral nerves surrounding the hippocampus widely, the exact three dimensions for each subject. Without position data, the device containing the light source 2 may be grasped by hand, or the light source 2 may be fixed in the oral cavity with a mouthpiece, and light may be irradiated over a wide range from the oral cavity to the back side of the brain including the hippocampus. ..
If there is a part where it is inconvenient to irradiate light, it is sufficient to avoid that part.

The flash stimulator of the present invention non-invasively irradiates near-infrared light having a wavelength of a "living body window" that passes through a living tissue from the oral cavity toward the hippocampus as a flash stimulus of about 40 Hz.
This makes it possible to realize the effect of suppressing the deterioration of memory due to the direct flash stimulation to the hippocampus, which was elucidated as a natural phenomenon in the animal experiment of Patent Document 1, even by non-invasive means for the human body.

Positional relationship between light source 2, hippocampus, and sphenoid bone and temporal bone in the oral cavity. (Example 1) LED lance to be used by holding it in the hand (Example 2) Optical mouthpiece for fixing the light source 2 in the oral cavity (Example 3) Optical mouthpiece having a function of adjusting the direction of the optical axis <Modification example> Maxillary mouthpiece and optical fiber cable <Coordinate system conversion> Three-dimensional coordinate system of skull and mouthpiece

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between a light source 2, a hippocampus 3, and a skull (specifically, a sphenoid bone 4 and a temporal bone 5) provided inside the oral cavity 1. As shown in the figure, light rays are transmitted from the light source 2 provided inside the oral cavity 1 through the skull (sphenoid bone 4 and / or the temporal bone 5) to the hippocampus 3 through a small amount of living tissue (particularly nerve tissue). There is a positional relationship that allows irradiation.
FIG. 1A is a front view and a side view showing the position of the hippocampus 3 in the cerebrum.
FIG. 1B is a diagram in which the optical axis 6 of the light source 2 provided in the oral cavity 1 is irradiated toward the hippocampus 3, and details will be described in Example 1.
FIG. 1 (c) is a diagram in which the spread of light rays emitted from the light source 2 provided in the oral cavity 1 is irradiated so as to include the hippocampus 3, and details will be described in Example 2.
FIG. 1D is a diagram in which an optical axis 6 whose irradiation direction can be adjusted is irradiated toward the hippocampus 3 from a light source 2 provided in the oral cavity 1, and details will be described in Example 3.

In the following examples, an example will be described in which the purpose of non-invasively irradiating a flash stimulus of about 40 Hz from the oral cavity 1 to the hippocampus 3 is realized in various forms suitable for home treatment or outpatient treatment.

In the first embodiment, a means for applying a flash stimulus of about 40 Hz from the oral cavity 1 to the hippocampus 3 by using an instrument held in a hand will be described. An experiment was conducted to confirm the effect using the body of the elderly inventor himself, so this is also introduced.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an LED lance 10 in which a near-infrared LED 7 is attached to the tip of a rod to be gripped by hand.
FIG. 2A shows an overview view of the LED lance 10 and the LED drive device 12. The near-infrared LED 7 irradiates light in the wavelength range (650 to 1000 nm) of near-infrared light corresponding to a "living body window", and supplies driving power from the LED driving device 12 by an electric wire 22. It was turned off and blinked with a driving current I of a square wave of about 40 Hz.

FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a state in which the grip portion 52 of the LED lance 10 is gripped by hand and inserted into the oral cavity 1. FIG. 2 (c) is a diagram showing the directivity of the near-infrared LED 7 (OSI3CA5111A manufactured by OPtoSUPPLY) incorporated in the prototype of the LED lance 10. The specifications of this LED element are wavelength 850 [nm], radiant intensity 45 [mW / Sr] (however, when drive current If = 50mA, Vf = 1.6V), and 50% Power Angle is 2θ = 15 [deg]. , Emit a thin light beam.

The position of the light emitting point of the semiconductor element of the near-infrared LED 7 provided at the tip of the LED lance 10 gripped by hand will be described as the position of the light source 2. The optical axis 6 that maximizes the directivity of the near-infrared LED 7 was directed toward the hippocampus 3, and a non-invasive approximately 40 Hz flash stimulus was applied to the hippocampus 3. In the trial conducted by the inventor himself as an experimental animal, the flash stimulus was applied alternately for about 2 minutes while slightly swinging the optical axis 6 toward the hippocampus 3 on the right side and the left side for a total of about 20 minutes. ..

The work of directing the optical axis 6 from the oral cavity to the hippocampus 3 by the inventor alone was carried out while comparing a general anatomical chart with the skeleton of his / her jaw. Therefore, it is possible that the angle and positioning of the light irradiated with the direct aim are inaccurate, the optical axis 6 as the center of the directivity of the LED does not hit the hippocampus 3 accurately, and the LED is displaced vertically and horizontally.
However, although my own memory was declining as I got older, after the irradiation experiment, I was able to experience a phenomenon in which I could clearly remember the details of my previous memory. This was a very fresh surprise for the inventor himself.

At a later date, the inventor took an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) at the hospital for another medical examination. According to the doctor in charge of MRI image analysis, a white shadow was found in the lower part of the brain as a trace of a new stroke. When I took over the image data from the hospital and browsed the image on my PC, the white shaded area as a trace of cerebral infarction was located near the optical axis 6 connecting the light source 2 and the hippocampus 3 in the oral cavity 1. It was around.
At the time of the experiment, the inventor manually aimed and irradiated the hippocampus 3, but it is possible that the line of sight of the optical axis 6 was off. Alternatively, since the LED having a diffused luminous flux is used, it is possible that the amount of light energy per unit area is excessive at the place where the LED invades the living tissue from the portion close to the light source 2. Alternatively, the occurrence of a small trace of cerebral infarction at this location is merely a coincidence and may be unrelated to the inventor's own experiments.
Since this experiment has been discontinued at present, the causal relationship between the scar of this small cerebral infarction and the experiment conducted by the inventor himself is still unknown.

On the other hand, as a treatment method for which safety has already been ensured, a treatment method in which light in the near-infrared wavelength range capable of passing through the skull and living tissue is irradiated to the brain from above the head or from the nasal cavity (non-patent documents). 2) is known, and there are many academic documents including clinical trials by medical institutions. However, when irradiating light from the back side of the brain, the permissible amount of light energy per unit area that can be safely input is described in the existing academic literature as "on the upper surface of the head that is lit by sunlight on a daily basis." It may be more vulnerable than the "allowable amount".
When performing a follow-up test of the present invention in which light energy is irradiated to the hippocampus 3 from the back side of the brain using a living human body, sufficient care must be taken in controlling the amount (or density) of light energy to be irradiated. Is.

This time, by directly irradiating the hippocampus 3 from the oral cavity 1 with a flash stimulus of about 40 Hz by the experiment conducted using ourselves, the ability of short-term memory was reduced as in the test result by the animal experiment of Patent Document 1. I was able to experience the possibility of temporary recovery in the human body.
However, there are many issues left unsolved in the future in order to ensure safety. For example, when irradiating the back side of the brain, which normally does not have a chance to be exposed to sunlight, with a flash of 40 Hz, the numerical value of light energy per unit area (unit: mW / square centimeter) that can be safely input is unknown. In particular, since there are sensitive and highly influential nerve cells such as the pituitary gland that secrete various hormones in the vicinity of the hippocampus 3, strict consideration is required to prevent accidental excessive irradiation of light energy. ..

In addition, from the results of this experiment, it is feared that the energy per unit area of the cross section hit by the beam diverging based on the directivity of the LED may become a problem "the shorter the distance, the larger the energy". In other words, if a diffused luminous flux such as the directivity of an LED is used, the density of light energy is higher in the brain cells before reaching the hippocampus 3, and there is a possibility of damaging the nerves of the brain located in front of the hippocampus. May be higher. On the other hand, it is also necessary to consider that the light beam is attenuated by absorption and diffusion as it passes through the living tissue.
That is, a diverging luminous flux such as the directivity of a single LED may be irradiated with an excessive energy density when the irradiation distance (or the reach depth after the light enters the living body) is short. Therefore, it may be desirable to parallelize the light rays, or to construct an optical system so that the light is converged again after the projected cross-sectional area of the light flux is once widened.
For example, as added to the LED directivity diagram of FIG. 2C, the first optical system 14 is provided to transform the diffused luminous flux 13 of the LED itself into a parallel luminous flux 15, or further, the second optical flux. It is also possible to provide a system 16 and transform it into a convergent luminous flux 17.

FIG. 2D is an example of an external view of the LED lance 10 in which the optical systems 14 and 16 are incorporated in the light source 2 so as to generate a parallel light flux 15 and a convergent light flux 17.
Further, by providing the bent portion in front of the light source 2, the direction of the optical axis 6 may be easily operated in the oral cavity 1 while the grip portion 52 of the LED lance 10 is gripped.
When the optical systems 14 and 16 are provided at the tip of the LED lance 10, the optical axis 6 is emitted by incorporating a reflector (not shown) as well as a means for providing a mechanically bent portion in the LED lance 10. It is also possible to facilitate the operation of the LED lance 10 in the oral cavity 1 by using the means of bending the direction.

The LED lance 10 first prototyped by the inventor has an LED electric wire 22 passed through a hollow pipe as a commercially available plastic ballpoint pen body, and a near-infrared LED 7 is enclosed in the tip of the ballpoint pen body using an adhesive. did.
As a result, sufficient waterproof performance was obtained, so even if the tip of the LED lance 10 was inserted into the oral cavity 1, no leakage failure due to saliva occurred, which was caused by the jaw chewing operation unknowingly performed by the inventor who was an old man. It was possible to prevent troubles such as disconnection of the LED drive wire.

In the future, many inventors and researchers will select LED output (radiation intensity), wavelength, irradiation direction, beam directionality, optical modulation waveform and modulation method, appearance shape that enhances operability of LED lance 10, oral cavity. Positioning means for aiming at Kaiba 3 from 1 to 3 accurately and accurately, as well as optical system design for near-infrared LEDs, technology using near-infrared semiconductor lasers, or optical systems such as optical fibers, collimators, reflectors, and prisms. We hope that various numerical values such as equipment to be combined and new ideas will be added, and that more useful new inventions will be made.

FIG. 3 shows an example in which the light source 2 is incorporated into a mouthpiece, attached to the lower jaw, the mouthpiece is lightly bitten and fixed by the upper jaw, and then a thick luminous flux 13 is irradiated around the optical axis 6.
FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the optical mouthpiece 20 and the LED drive device 12. In the second embodiment, the near-infrared LED 7 incorporated in the optical mouthpiece 20 from the LED driving device 12 via the electric wire 22 is driven On-Off by a rectangular wave and blinks at about 40 Hz.

At the prototype stage, the inventor cut the main body of a commercially available sports mouthpiece and embedded the same near-infrared LED 7 as in the first embodiment at the position of the light source 2 in FIG. 3 (a). As a result, there has been a problem that saliva invades through the gap between the flexible and flexible mouthpiece and the LED, causing an electric leakage failure of the LED driving electric wire.
In addition, when embedding the LED element in the mouthpiece, the direction of the optical axis 6 and the reproducibility of positioning are determined after accurately considering the shape of the oral cavity 1 of the subject and the three-dimensional positional relationship of the hippocampus 3 in the brain. It was found that there was a problem with the technology to be secured, and it was solved as follows.

FIG. 3B is a diagram showing how to use the optical mouthpiece 20. There are two light sources 2 on the left and right sides of the optical mouthpiece 20 placed in the oral cavity 1, and an optical axis 6 blinking at about 40 Hz is directed from the positions of the left and right light sources 2 to the left and right hippocampi 3 in the brain. ..
Since the dimensions and shape of the jaws and teeth of the oral cavity 1 and the positional relationship with the hippocampus 3 differ from person to person, it is necessary to pinpoint the irradiation direction of the optical axis 6 of the light source 2 to be incorporated in the optical mouthpiece 20. It is necessary to accurately manufacture each target person with custom-made (customized specifications).
In addition, the position and irradiation direction of the light source 2 incorporated in the mouthpiece body 60 are mechanically held so that the positions of the two light sources 2 and the directions of the optical axes 6 do not fluctuate significantly even if the old man unknowingly chews the mouthpiece. Therefore, it is desirable to incorporate a hard and lightweight structural member such as a titanium alloy into the mouthpiece.

FIG. 3C is a schematic structural diagram of the steering head 30 in which the light source 2 is incorporated in the optical mouthpiece 20. In the second embodiment, the problem of preventing electric leakage of the near-infrared LED 7 due to saliva inside the oral cavity 1 and ensuring the reproducibility of the optical axis 6 is also solved.
The diameter of the steering head 30 is 5 mm, which is the same as that of the near-infrared LED 7 of the first embodiment, and the length is about 15 mm. When this is incorporated into the optical mouthpiece 20, the head of the steering head 30 appears to protrude from the optical mouthpiece 20 as depicted at the position of the light source 2 in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b).

The steering head 30 is mainly composed of a transparent head 32, a replaceable cylindrical mirror 35, a waterproof packing 34, a male screw mount 36, and an ultra-small near-infrared LED 7 for surface mounting. The female screw 33 provided inside the transparent head 32 is screwed into the male screw mount 36 via the waterproof packing 34 to seal the seal. In order to improve the waterproofness against saliva inside the oral cavity 1, an electric wire 22 for driving an ultra-small near-infrared LED 7 for surface mounting incorporated from a screwed portion or a processed portion on the bottom surface of the steering head 30 is provided. Seal the part to be taken out with an adhesive.
When fixing the steering head 30 to the optical mouthpiece 20, the rigid structural member inside the optical mouthpiece 20 and the steering head 30 are mechanically and firmly connected by means such as screwing or laser welding to form a mouse. It is desirable that the irradiation destination of the optical axis 6 does not easily change even if the piece is chewed.

As an ultra-compact near-infrared LED 7 for surface mounting incorporated in the steering head 30, for example, there is OSI3120641E type manufactured by OptoSupply. This LED element has a wavelength of 850 [nm], a radiant intensity of 10 [mW / Sr] (however, when the drive current If = 20 mA and Vf = 1.3 V. The maximum current is 75 mA), and the 50% Power Angle is 2θ = 35 [. deg] emits a light beam over a relatively wide area. Since the dimensions of the LED element are as small as 3.2 mm in length × 1.6 mm in width × 1.8 mm in height, the bottom surface of the male screw mount 36 can be processed and incorporated.

The inside of the male screw mount 36 is hollow in a cylindrical shape, and the replaceable cylindrical mirror 35 can be inserted so as to be rotatable. The central axis of the replaceable cylindrical mirror 35 is also hollow in a cylindrical shape so that the optical axis 6 can pass through. The optical axis 6 emitted from the ultra-small near-infrared LED 7 provided by processing the bottom of the male screw mount 36 passes through the cavity of the central axis of the interchangeable cylindrical mirror 35 and is attached to the interchangeable cylindrical mirror 35. It is totally reflected by the mirror plate 38, passes through the transparent head 32, and is emitted to the oral cavity 1.
The point where the mirror plate 38 and the optical axis 6 intersect is the exact position of the light source 2. The optical axis 6 of the stimulation light of about 40 Hz reflected at the position of the light source 2 is irradiated in the direction including the hippocampus 3.

If there is a part where it is inconvenient to irradiate light, an example where it is possible to irradiate while avoiding that part is shown below.
FIG. 3D is a schematic example in which the mirror surface plate 38 attached to the replaceable cylindrical mirror 35 is processed to partially reduce the reflectance, and a pattern is drawn with a high reflectance portion and a low reflectance portion. It is drawn as a target. The shape of the light drawn by the light reflected by the pattern of the mirror plate 38 hitting the back side of the brain becomes blurry as the distance from the mirror plate 38 increases, but the figure corresponds to the pattern of the mirror plate 38 to some extent. It becomes. This is a useful solution for reducing the energy density of the emitted light by shining the reflected light from the pattern of the low reflectance portion on the portion to which the flash stimulus is not desired to be applied.
The method of adjusting the tilt angle θ and the swivel angle φ of the mirror surface plate 38 will be described in the third embodiment, but after the adjustment is completed, the replaceable cylindrical mirror 35 inserted into the male screw mount 36 can be fixed with an adhesive. ..

As described above, in the second embodiment, the dimensional shape of the oral cavity 1 and the positional relationship with the hippocampus 3 are measured for each individual by an image diagnostic device such as MRI, and the position and light of the light source 2 incorporated in the optical mouthpiece 20. By accurately positioning the direction of the axis 6 and fixing it in the oral cavity 1, an apparatus for irradiating a flash of light generated by a near-infrared LED 7 toward the position of the hippocampus 3 is provided.

In the future, many inventors and researchers will select LED output (radiation intensity), wavelength, irradiation direction, beam directivity, light modulation waveform and modulation method, and even near-infrared LED (or near-infrared). We hope that useful new inventions will be made by limiting the numerical values of the optical system design of the semi-conducting laser) and adding new ideas including quality improvement as a product. In addition, there is a lot of room for adding new inventions for commercialization, such as a structure and a shape that protects the electric wire 22 drawn into the optical mouthpiece 20 from being cut more easily by the jaw chewing operation unconsciously performed by an old man.

In FIG. 4, the light source 2 is incorporated into the mouthpiece and attached to the lower jaw, and while the mouthpiece is lightly bitten by the upper jaw and pressed against the lower jaw to fix it, the optical axis 6 of a thin luminous flux is positioned and irradiated with the aim of the hippocampus 3. This is an example.
FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a state in which the optical mouthpiece 20 is covered with the lower teeth, the mouth is opened, and the tongue is exposed for reference. On both sides of the base of the tongue, the head of the transparent head 32 at the uppermost portion of the steering head 30 is projected so as to be visible. In order to prevent the electric wire 22 from being bitten off by mistake, the electric wire 22 is taken out from the junction of the upper lip and the lower lip by bypassing the toothless portion behind the molars.

FIG. 4B is a diagram showing how to use the optical mouthpiece 20.
In the third embodiment, the optical system 14 (and / or 16) including a lens that converts the light emitted from the near-infrared LED 7 into a parallel luminous flux 15 or a converging luminous flux 17 is also housed, so that it is outside the steering head 30. An LED storage unit 31 is also provided.
Two sets of left and right steering heads 30 and LED storage parts 31 are fixed to the left and right structural members of the mouthpiece, and the direction of the thin optical axis 6 emitted from the position of the light source 2 is adjusted toward the position of the hippocampus 3. To do.

FIG. 4C shows the positional relationship between the steering head 30 and the LED housing unit 31. The replaceable cylindrical mirror 35 is rotatably inserted into a cylindrical cavity opened in the central axis of the male screw mount 36, and is fixed with an adhesive after adjusting the angle in the turning direction.
The LED housing portion 31 and the steering head 30 are adjacent to each other and fixed to the structural member of the optical mouthpiece 20. The near-infrared LED 7 and the optical system 14 (and / or 16) are built in the LED housing portion 31, and the optical axis 6 emitted by the near-infrared LED 7 passes through the transparent plate 39 and the transparent head 32 and is replaced. It is incident on the intersection of the mirror surface plate 38 of the type cylindrical mirror 35 and the central axis of rotation of the interchangeable cylindrical mirror 35, and after total internal reflection, it is transmitted through the transparent head 32 again and emitted. The point at which the optical axis 6 is totally reflected by the mirror plate 38 corresponds to the exact position of the light source 2.

FIG. 4D is a diagram showing the relationship between the optical axis 8 incident on the mirror surface plate 38 of the interchangeable cylindrical mirror 35 and the reflected optical axis 9. This reflection angle depends on the mirror surface tilt angle θ of the replaceable cylindrical mirror 35 that fixes the mirror surface plate 38, but the mirror surface tilt angle 37 is designed to be an angle dedicated to the subject when manufacturing the replaceable cylindrical mirror 35. I will do it.
That is, in order to obtain an appropriate mirror surface inclination angle θ for the optical axis 6 to aim at the hippocampus 3 from the light source 2 in the subject's oral cavity 1, the interchangeable cylindrical mirror 35 is customized to the dimensions of each subject. It is necessary to make it with.

FIG. 4E is a turning adjustment tool 40 for manually adjusting the turning angle φ of the replaceable cylindrical mirror 35 of the steering head 30 fixed to the structural member of the optical mouthpiece 20. The replaceable cylindrical mirror 35 is swivelably inserted into the cavity of the central axis of the male screw mount 36, and the swivel adjustment tool 40 is fitted into the notch of the replaceable cylindrical mirror 35 and then rotated in the direction of the swivel angle φ. Then, the Kaiba 3 is adjusted to an appropriate turning angle φ in order to aim at the Kaiba 3 from the light source 2 in the subject's oral cavity 1 with the optical axis 6. After the adjustment, it may be fixed with an adhesive.

In the third embodiment, the mirror surface inclination angle θ is set to the angle for each subject when the replaceable cylindrical mirror 35 is manufactured, and the turning angle φ is manually adjusted when the replaceable cylindrical mirror 35 is incorporated into the male screw mount 36. I explained the case.

It is also possible to remotely adjust the tilt angle θ and the swivel angle φ using a micromachine that can be automatically controlled by remote control, but in addition to designing ultra-compact precision equipment, the tilt angle θ before angle adjustment A means for precisely detecting the turning angle φ and remotely controlling the emission direction of the optical shaft 6 is also an issue. We look forward to the emergence of useful new inventions in the future.

<Modification example>
In the above three examples, the hippocampus 3 in the brain is provided with a light source 2 inside the oral cavity 1 to emit near-infrared light 51 in a wavelength range (650 to 1000 nm) called a “window of the living body” that easily penetrates living tissues. We introduced three cases of irradiating toward. That is, a case where the device including the light source 2 is grasped by hand (Example 1), a case where the light source 2 is incorporated into a mouthpiece for the lower jaw and fixed to the oral cavity 1 to irradiate a wide luminous flux (Example 2). Similarly, this is an example of irradiating a thin light source by fixing the mouthpiece for the lower jaw (Example 3).
However, by disassembling and reconstructing the components of the present invention, it is possible to design various flash stimulators other than the above three types.

FIG. 5 introduces a modified example such as a case where a mouthpiece for the upper jaw and an optical fiber are used.

In FIG. 5A, a mouthpiece for the upper jaw having a slightly thick platform and two LED lances 10 are combined, and the mouthpiece is bitten and fixed by the upper and lower jaws. The two LED lances 10 are each equipped with the optical axis 6 of the near-infrared LED 7 diagonally upward at the tip, and are positioned back and forth in a cylindrical through cavity 41 that hollows out the thick bottom portion of the mouthpiece. It is configured to be adjustable.
Further, the two LED lances 10 are cylindrical and can be swiveled in the cylindrical through cavity 41 provided in the mouthpiece. After adjusting the LED lance 10 to the mouthpiece in the front-back direction and the turning direction, before inserting the mouthpiece into the oral cavity 1, tighten the fixing screw 42 for fixing the mouthpiece and the LED lance 10 in the front-back direction and the turning direction. The direction adjustment result can be fixed.
That is, the positions of the two left and right near-infrared LEDs 7 in the front-rear direction and the orientation of the optical axis 6 in the turning direction can be easily adjusted manually.

The fixture of FIG. 5A can also be redesigned to incorporate a near-infrared LED 7, a mirror plate 38, and an optical system 14 (and / or 16) in the LED lance. That is, as shown in FIG. 4 (d), the incident optical axis 8 can be reflected in a desired direction (optical axis 9) by using the mirror plate 38, and the desired spreading method (as shown in FIG. 2 (d)). It is also possible to change the design by incorporating an optical system that includes a lens that irradiates a luminous flux (diffuse, parallel, convergent).

However, in order to use it as a treatment device for dementia forgetfulness (mild memory loss) in general hospitals, many problems still remain, including how to use it.
For example, if the tip of the LED lance 10 makes strong contact with the inner wall of the maxilla, a patient with a strong nerve reflex may cause vomiting. It is also possible to automatically control the positioning of the LED lance 10 and remotely control it, but there are many technical problems in designing the LED lance 10 so that it is compact and lightweight so that it can be used in daily medical treatment. It is hoped that delicate technical issues in the field of clinical medicine for use in general treatment will be elucidated, and useful new inventions that solve these issues will emerge.

FIG. 5B is an optical mouthpiece 20 for the upper jaw, which is an example in which the steering head 30 described in the second embodiment is incorporated. Although not shown, the LED housing unit 31 may be provided adjacent to the steering head 30 as in the third embodiment.
In the optical mouthpiece 20 for the upper jaw, the upper tip of the steering head 30 is the upper part of the optical mouthpiece in order to prevent the upper tip of the steering head 30 from strongly contacting the inner wall of the upper jaw and causing discomfort to the patient. It is desirable to design it so that it does not pop out more than.

FIG. 5C shows an LED lance 10 that irradiates a parallel luminous flux 15 via a first optical system 14, that is, a collimator, with an optical fiber cable. It has a grip portion 52 and irradiates near-infrared light 51 from the position of the light source 2 at the tip portion bent at the bent portion.
The flash of about 40 Hz of the near infrared light 51 supplied to the LED lance 10 provided at the outlet of the optical fiber cable may be supplied by an LED from the entrance of the optical fiber cable, or may be supplied by using a semiconductor laser or the like. Good.

FIG. 5D is an optical mouthpiece that irradiates a parallel luminous flux 15 via a first optical system 14, that is, a collimator, with an optical fiber cable. In order to prevent saliva and food debris from adhering to the optical system and becoming dirty when fixed in the oral cavity 1, the first optical system 14 is composed of a transparent head 32, a waterproof packing 34, and a male screw mount 36 to prevent stains. It is desirable to store it in a case.
A commercially available small collimator for optical fibers manufactured by FiberLabs has a wavelength of 850 nm, a diameter of 2.8 mm and a total length of 9 mm. It can be designed to be housed in the external dimensions of the antifouling case composed of the waterproof packing 34 and the male screw mount 36.

<Transformation of coordinate system>
FIG. 6 describes a method of determining a reference position and a reference direction of the three-dimensional coordinate system of the head using a mouthpiece as a means for directing the near-infrared light 51 from the position of the light source 2 to the position of the hippocampus 3. It is a figure.
The base that determines the three-dimensional coordinate system of the therapeutic optical mouthpiece 20 is a mouthpiece body 60 composed of a protective member that covers the dentition and a rigid structural member as its skeleton. The optical mouthpiece 20 is configured by firmly and precisely fixing a near-infrared LED 7, a steering head 30, an LED storage portion 31, and the like to a structural member of the mouthpiece main body 60.
Hereinafter, how to use the measurement mouthpiece 53, which has the same dimensions as the mouthpiece body 60 of the optical mouthpiece 20 and incorporates a contrast medium at the positions of the three marking points Pr, Pl, and Pc, will be described.
The number of marking points may be at least three, but the measurement data may be statistically processed so as to reduce the measurement error by providing four or more marking points.

In FIG. 6A, the skull three-dimensional coordinate system (X, Y, Z) is defined based on the characteristic shape of the skull.
First, the X-axis is set toward the right side of the face through the centers of the two ear holes 56 on the left and right sides of the skull.
Next, the Z-axis is set so as to pass through the center of the Oizumimon 57 surrounded by the three bones on the crown, orthogonal to the X-axis.
Further, the intersection of the X-axis and the Y-axis is set as the origin, and the Y-axis is set toward the front of the face so as to pass through the origin and be orthogonal to the X-axis and the Y-axis.
By defining the skull three-dimensional coordinate system (X, Y, Z) in this way, the coordinates of the hippocampus 3 on the left side can be expressed as Phl (Xhl, Yhl, Zhl) from the image data by MRI or the like. ..

Next, the three-dimensional coordinate system (x, y, z) of the mouthpiece is determined by using the measurement mouthpiece 53 having the same dimensions as the mouthpiece body 60 of the optical mouthpiece 20 for treatment.
For example, the x-axis is determined from the marking point Pl on the left side of the measurement mouthpiece 53 containing the contrast medium to the marking point Pr on the right side. Next, the y-axis is set so as to pass through the center of the marking point Pc on the front surface of the measurement mouthpiece 53 orthogonal to the x-axis. The intersection of the x-axis and the y-axis is set as the origin, and the z-axis is set upward from the measurement mouthpiece 53 so as to pass through the origin and be orthogonal to the x-axis and the y-axis.

A transformation matrix (known) that rotates and translates coordinate axes between two three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate systems, the skull three-dimensional coordinate system (X, Y, Z) and the mouthpiece three-dimensional coordinate system (x, y, z). Coordinate data can be converted to each other using the affine transformation of.
Furthermore, between the two 3D Cartesian coordinate systems, the affine transformation between the two coordinate systems is performed by using a total of 6 sets of coordinate data in which each of the 3 points in the 3D space is represented by the data of both coordinate systems. It is also known that the conversion matrix A of can be determined.
Therefore, the measurement mouthpiece 53 containing the contrast medium is placed on the dentition of the lower jaw or the upper jaw, and the upper jaw and the lower jaw are closed to fix the measurement mouthpiece 53, and images such as MRI examination, CT examination, or X-ray photography are performed. Using a diagnostic device, three sets of coordinate values represented by the skull three-dimensional coordinate system of the three marking points Pr, Pl, and Pc included in the measurement mouthpiece 53 are measured.

The three sets of coordinate data represented by the three-dimensional coordinate system of the mouthpiece for the three marking points Pr, Pl, and Pc included in the measurement mouthpiece 53 are known as design values at the stage of designing and manufacturing the measurement mouthpiece 53. Is. Alternatively, the measurement value measured by the measurement mouthpiece 53 with an image diagnostic device such as an MRI examination, a CT examination, or an X-ray imaging may be used.
In this way, the three sets of coordinate data (measured values) in the three-dimensional coordinate system of the skull and the three sets of coordinate data (design values and /) of the three marking points Pr, Pl, and Pc expressed in the three-dimensional coordinate system of the mouthpiece. Since the measured value) is obtained, the conversion matrix A of the affine transformation that mutually transforms the two coordinate systems can be obtained by using the total of 6 sets of coordinate data.
That is, by using the transformation matrix A obtained above, the coordinates of the hippocampus 3 measured in the skull three-dimensional coordinate system (X, Y, Z) are expressed in the mouthpiece three-dimensional coordinate system (x, y, z). can do.
The above is the description of the measurement mouthpiece 53.

In the following, the light source coordinate system (s, t, u) relating to the left light source 2 mounted on the therapeutic optical mouthpiece 20 having the mouthpiece body 60 having the same dimensions as the measurement mouthpiece 53 described above is used. , The method of designing the mirror surface inclination angle θ of the interchangeable cylindrical mirror 35 of FIG. 4 and adjusting the turning angle φ will be described.

In FIG. 6B, the position of the left light source 2 of the optical mouthpiece 20 (for example, the point where the mirror plate 38 and the optical axis 6 intersect in the second embodiment) is set as the origin of the three-dimensional coordinate system with respect to the left light source 2. ..
In order to simplify the adjustment work of the steering head 30 of the optical mouthpiece 20, at the stage of designing and manufacturing the optical mouthpiece 20, the central axis of rotation of the replaceable cylindrical mirror 35 that can be swiveled is set to the three-dimensional coordinate system of the mouthpiece. The 3D coordinate system (s, t, u) for the left light source is designed and manufactured so that it moves in parallel with the mouthpiece 3D coordinate system (x, y, z), such as designing and manufacturing in parallel with the z-axis. can do.
As a result, affine transformation is possible between the three-dimensional coordinate system of the mouthpiece (x, y, z) and the light source coordinate system (s, t, u) on the left, and the transformation matrix of translation is the optical mouthpiece 20. It is determined by the machine dimensions designed and manufactured.

In this way, the coordinate position of the Kaiba 3 measured by the skull three-dimensional coordinate system (X, Y, Z) is expressed by the mouthpiece three-dimensional coordinate system (x, y, z) by the first affine transformation. Furthermore, it is converted into the light source coordinate system (s, t, u) by the second affine transformation.
Then, the coordinates of the left light source 2 and the Kaiba 3 are both represented by the left light source coordinate system (s, t, u), and the light source coordinate system (s, t, u) is further changed to the polar coordinate system. After conversion, the turning angle and elevation angle for irradiating light from the position of the light source 2 as the origin of the left light source coordinate system (s, t, u) toward the position of the hippopotamus 3 can be obtained.
After that, referring to the turning angle and elevation angle in the polar coordinate representation from the light source 2 to the Kaiba 3, the mirror surface inclination angle θ of the interchangeable cylindrical mirror 35 in FIG. 4 is designed and manufactured, and the turning angle φ is adjusted. Good.

Since the above description of the light source coordinate system (s, t, u) for the left light source 2 is the same for the light source coordinate system for the right light source 2, the repetition of the description will be omitted.

In this way, using the measurement mouthpiece 53 containing the contrast medium manufactured with the same dimensions as the mouthpiece body 60 of the optical mouthpiece 20 incorporating the steering head 30, MRI examination, CT examination, X-ray photography, etc. can be performed. Three-dimensional measurement can be performed by an diagnostic imaging device.
Based on the measurement result of the measurement mouthpiece 53 containing the contrast medium, a custom-made optical mouthpiece 20 for treatment is manufactured and adjusted according to the brain tissue and skeleton of each subject (patient). It is possible.

When a single LED having a wide directivity is used as the light source 2, the light emitting point of the semiconductor element of the near-infrared LED 7 is set as the position of the light source 2, and is represented by the three-dimensional coordinate system of the mouthpiece (x, y, z). The optical mouthpiece 20 for treatment may be manufactured so as to irradiate the optical axis 6 as the center of the directivity of the LED from the light source 2 to the hippopotamus 3.
In order to ensure waterproofness and antifouling property against saliva in the oral cavity 1, a small LED for surface mounting is an antifouling case composed of a transparent head 32, a waterproof packing 34, and a male screw mount 36 (illustrated). It is desirable to store it in (omitted). The antifouling case may be tilted toward the hippocampus 3 and fixed to the structural member of the optical mouthpiece 20 so that the hippocampus 3 is included in the wide directivity direction of the LED from the position of the light source 2 in the antifouling case. ..

<Summary>
The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to three examples and a plurality of modifications. Therefore, the features of the present invention will be briefly described below.

First, the invention can be expressed as an invention of the method,
"A method of providing flash stimuli that apply to 40 Hz flash therapy for the prevention, alleviation, and treatment of dementia.
A light source 2 that emits near-infrared light 51 having a wavelength of 650 to 1000 nm that blinks at about 40 Hz is provided inside the oral cavity 1.
The near-infrared light 51 is radiated non-invasively from the light source 2 toward the hippocampus 3 inside the skull.
A method of providing a 40 Hz flash stimulus. "
The exact position of the light source 2 is the light emitting point of the semiconductor element of the near-infrared LED 7 when the near-infrared LED 7 is inserted into the oral cavity 1, and the optical axis 6 is the mirror plate 38 when the steering head 30 is applied. Corresponds to the point of total reflection. Further, when the optical axis 6 irradiates the space after the direction and the spreading of the optical path are adjusted by the optical system as shown in FIG. 5C, the optical axis 6 moves into the space from the final part of the optical system. The emitted point is the exact position of the light source 2.
As described above, in the above sentence explaining the features of the present invention, the "light source 2" refers to a point in the three-dimensional space which is the "base point of the line segment" that irradiates the optical axis 6 toward the hippocampus 3. ..
At the entrance on the light emitting side of the optical fiber cable in FIGS. 5 (c) and 5 (d), the type and outer shape of the light emitting element itself such as an LED or a semiconductor laser element that supplies light energy, or an article for lighting is indicated. It is clear from the many explanatory parts described in the present invention that the term "light source 2" is not used in a general sense.

Second, the invention can also be expressed as an invention of a device rather than a method.
"A device that provides flash stimuli for 40 Hz flash therapy for the prevention, alleviation, and treatment of dementia.
A light source 2 that is installed inside the oral cavity 1 and emits near-infrared light 51 having a wavelength of 650 to 1000 nm that blinks at about 40 Hz.
It is characterized by comprising a light directing means 50 that irradiates the near-infrared light 51 from the light source 2 toward the hippocampus 3 inside the skull in a non-invasive manner.
It is a device that provides a flash stimulus of 40 Hz.

Thirdly, among the light-directing means for irradiating light from the light source 2 to the hippocampus 3, the instrument to be held and operated during treatment is described.
"The light directing means 50 is
The light source 2 that irradiates the optical axis 6 of the near-infrared light 51 in the desired direction, and the light source 2.
A grip portion 52 that grips the light directing means 50 and directs the optical axis 6 of the near infrared light 51 from a desired position to a desired direction.
To be prepared. "
This specific example has been described in detail with reference to FIG. 1 in Example 1. In the above, the intended position is the position in the three-dimensional space in the oral cavity 1 where the light source 2 is placed as the starting point of the optical axis 6 because the light source 2 is used by putting it in the oral cavity 1 during the treatment. Point to a point. Further, the desired direction is a direction in which light is emitted from the light source 2 toward, for example, the hippocampus 3.

Fourth, among the light-directing means for irradiating light from the light source 2 to the hippocampus 3, the device incorporated as the therapeutic optical mouthpiece 20 is
"The light directing means 50 is
The light source 2 that irradiates the optical axis 6 of the near-infrared light 51 in the desired direction, and the light source 2.
For treatment, the optical axis 6 of the near-infrared light 51 is fixed to the dentition of the upper jaw 54 or the lower jaw 55, and a reference position and a reference orientation are set on the head so as to direct the optical axis 6 of the near infrared light 51 from the position of the light source 2 toward the hippocampus 3. Light mouthpiece 20 and
To be prepared. "
This specific example has described in detail the instrument configured as the therapeutic optical mouthpiece 20 in Example 2 (FIG. 3), Example 3 (FIG. 4) and Modified Example (FIG. 5).
Further, "determining the reference position and the reference direction on the head" means that the optical mouthpiece 20 having a built-in hard structural member is used to direct the optical axis 6 from the light source 2 fixed to the optical mouthpiece 20 toward the hippocampus 3. By covering the subject's dentition, it means establishing (or fixing or fixing) a standard for determining the position and direction of the light source 2 and the hippo 3 on the subject's head.

Fifth, among the light-directing means for irradiating light from the light source 2 to the hippocampus 3, the instrument incorporating a contrast medium as a measurement mouthpiece 53 is
"The light directing means 50 is
A measurement mouthpiece 53 fixed to the dentition of the upper jaw 54 or the lower jaw 55 and incorporating a contrast medium at at least three or more marking points is provided as a coordinate measuring means. "
A specific example of this is a transformation matrix A that rotates and translates coordinate data between two 3D Cartesian coordinate systems, the skull 3D coordinate system (X, Y, Z) and the mouthpiece 3D coordinate system, in FIG. The measurement mouthpiece 53 containing a contrast agent for determining is described.
By the way, except for the optical parts constituting the light source 2, the therapeutic optical mouthpiece 20 and the measuring mouthpiece 53 are a mouthpiece main body 60 composed of an internal hard structural member and a member covering the dentition. The dimensions of the parts are the same.
Although the measurement mouthpiece 53 can measure three-dimensional coordinates without incorporating components such as the near-infrared LED 7 and the steering head 30, it is permissible to incorporate these components from the measurement stage. This is because if parts such as the steering head 30 are incorporated in advance from the stage of measurement using the measurement mouthpiece 53, the size of the oral cavity 1 of the subject is too small at the stage of treatment at a later date, and the light for treatment is used. It is easy to notice the possibility that the optical component of the mouthpiece 20 hits and presses on the patient's oral cavity 1.
Then, for the subject (patient), measures such as changing the size of the mouthpiece body 60 to be used, the mouthpiece 53 for measurement, and the optical mouthpiece 20 for treatment to be one size smaller should be taken at an early stage. Is easy.

The present invention provides a device for about 40 Hz flash therapy that directly and non-invasively flash stimulates the hippocampus inside the skull.
Each of the embodiments described in the present invention provides various forms of therapeutic instruments for the prevention, alleviation, and treatment of general dementia, from basic research to clinical trials in the field of brain science and technology in this field. be able to.

For example, from the viewpoint of preventing dementia, the LED lance 10 in FIG. 2 irradiates a flash stimulus for about 5 to 20 minutes even in the case of an early MCI patient who has a subjective symptom of forgetfulness caused by atrophy of the hippocampus. This may reduce subjective symptoms.
Therefore, it may be possible to use it to test whether a therapeutic effect can be expected by irradiating an early patient with a subjective symptom of forgetfulness with a flash stimulus on a trial basis from a trained nurse in a treatment room or the like. is there.

In addition, the dual lance with a mouthpiece for the upper jaw shown in FIG. 5 (a) is used for MRI and CT examinations for patients who have decided to adopt a treatment method in which the hippocampus is irradiated with a flash of about 40 Hz by near infrared light 51. Alternatively, after measuring the positional relationship between the hippocampus and the dentition (or mouthpiece 53 for measurement) in which the brain tissue and skeletal shape are described in a three-dimensional coordinate system using an diagnostic imaging device such as X-ray imaging, the measurement data. Based on this, the hippocampus may be irradiated with a flash of about 40 Hz by near-infrared light 51 precisely, and it may be used for a test to further verify whether a therapeutic effect can be expected.

Further, the optical mouthpieces 20 for the lower jaw and the upper jaw shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 5 (b) are based on the positional relationship in which the brain tissue and skeletal shape of the individual patient are described in a three-dimensional coordinate system. By incorporating and adjusting the steering head 30 according to the dimensions and angles of each patient, it may be possible to use it for home treatment of patients.

1 Oral cavity
2 Light source (light source)
3 Hippocampus
4 Sphenoid bone
5 Temporal bone
6 Optical axis (optical axis)
7 Near infrared LED (Near infrared LED)
8 Incident optical axis
9 Reflected optical axis
10 LED lance
12 LED drive device (LED drive controller)
13 Luminous flux
14 First optical system
15 Parallel luminous flux (Parallel luminous flux)
16 Second optical system (Second optical system)
17 Converging luminous flux
20 Optical mouthpiece (Optical mouthpiece)
22 Electric wire (Electrical wire)
30 Steering head
31 LED storage unit (LED storage)
32 Transparent head
33 Female screw (Female screw)
34 Waterproof packing (Waterproof packing)
35 Replaceable Cylindrical Mirror
36 Male screw mount
37 Mirror surface inclination angle θ (Mirror surface inclination angle θ)
38 Mirror plate
39 Transparent plate
40 Turning adjustment tool
41 Penetration cavity
42 Fixing screw (Fixing screw)
50 Mean of directing light
51 Near infrared light
52 Grip
53 Mouthpiece for measurement (Mouthpiece for measurement)
54 Maxilla
55 Lower jaw
56 ear canal
57 Posterior fontanelle
60 Mouthpiece body (Mouthpiece body)

Claims (5)

A method of providing a flash stimulus applied to 40 Hz flash therapy for the prevention, alleviation, and treatment of dementia.
A light source 2 that emits near-infrared light 51 having a wavelength of 650 to 1000 nm that blinks at about 40 Hz is provided inside the oral cavity 1.
The near-infrared light 51 is radiated non-invasively from the light source 2 toward the hippocampus 3 inside the skull.
How to provide a 40Hz flash stimulus
A device that provides a flash stimulus for 40 Hz flash therapy for the prevention, alleviation, and treatment of dementia.
A light source 2 that is installed inside the oral cavity 1 and emits near-infrared light 51 having a wavelength of 650 to 1000 nm that blinks at about 40 Hz.
It is characterized by comprising a light directing means 50 that irradiates the near-infrared light 51 from the light source 2 toward the hippocampus 3 inside the skull in a non-invasive manner.
A device that provides a 40 Hz flash stimulus
The light directing means 50
The light source 2 that irradiates the optical axis 6 of the near-infrared light 51 in the desired direction, and the light source 2.
A grip portion 52 that grips the light directing means 50 and directs the optical axis 6 of the near infrared light 51 from a desired position to a desired direction.
It is characterized by having
The device for providing the 40 Hz flash stimulus according to claim 2.
The light directing means 50
The light source 2 that irradiates the optical axis 6 of the near-infrared light 51 in the desired direction, and the light source 2.
For treatment, the optical axis 6 of the near-infrared light 51 is fixed to the dentition of the upper jaw 54 or the lower jaw 55, and a reference position and a reference orientation are set on the head so as to direct the optical axis 6 of the near infrared light 51 from the position of the light source 2 toward the hippocampus 3. Light mouthpiece 20 and
It is characterized by having
The device for providing the 40 Hz flash stimulus according to claim 2.


The light directing means 50
A measurement mouthpiece 53 fixed to the dentition of the upper jaw 54 or the lower jaw 55 and incorporating a contrast medium at at least three or more marking points is provided as a coordinate measuring means.
The device for providing the 40 Hz flash stimulus according to claim 2.

Images