KR20120019913A - Transcranial direct current stimulation apparatus and system including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A transcranial direct current stimulation apparatus and a system including the same are provided to control the size of applied current by each of a plurality of stimulation regions and take various clinical tests effectively and quickly. CONSTITUTION: A transcranial direct current stimulation apparatus comprises a stimulation contact unit(110), a stimulation generating unit(120), and a control unit. The stimulation contact unit comprises one cathode electrode and a plurality of anode electrodes. The stimulation generating unit generates DC corresponding to each of anode electrodes to supply DC to the stimulation contact unit. The anode electrodes of the stimulation generating unit are attached to regions around a brain of a subject, to which a user applies stimulation. Cathode electrodes are attached to predetermined regions around the brain to be able to form a current closed-circuit with the anode electrodes attached.

Description

Transcranial direct current stimulation apparatus and system including the same}

The present invention relates to a non-invasive nerve stimulation type medical device, and more particularly, to a Tnscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) device for stimulating the brain and a system comprising the same.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) device is a medical device using a non-invasive nerve stimulation method. Transcranial DC stimulator is used to stimulate the brain in rehabilitation medicine and neuropsychiatry. This stimulation method is a method of applying a constant direct current to the scalp. In other words, this stimulation method uses the electrical conductivity of the scalp, skull, cerebrospinal fluid, the electrical conductivity is also delivered to the brain uses a constant electric field is formed in the cerebral cortex. This stimulation modulates the brain's electrical activity, which consists of a large number of neurons, to regulate the brain's cognitive function, which produces the electrical activity of neurons.

Conventional transcranial DC stimulation device has a difficulty in applying to the treatment of diseases such as neuropsychiatric disorders, motor disorders that require activation of various parts of the brain because the area activated by stimulation is limited to a single site. . In order to solve this problem, it may be considered to operate a plurality of transcranial DC stimulation devices, but in this case, there is a problem in that the cost of operating a plurality of devices increases, and a plurality of anode and cathode electrodes are used. The mutual interference of electric currents arises, which causes the problem of increased inhibition by the use of a plurality of cathode electrodes. Inhibition generally occurs around the cathode electrode and may increase in proportion to the number of cathode electrodes used.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems and has the following problems.

First, it is possible to provide electrical stimulation to various parts of the brain while minimizing inhibition occurring around the cathode, thereby providing a transcranial DC stimulation device and system suitable for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders and motor disorders.

Second, to provide a transcranial DC stimulation device and system capable of adjusting the amount of current applied to each of the plurality of magnetic pole regions.

Third, to provide oral stimulation device and system that can realize various clinical trials in an effective and short time.

The problem of the present invention is not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In order to solve the above problems, the transcranial direct current stimulation device according to the present invention is in contact with one region of the subject head, one cathode electrode and a plurality of anode electrodes A magnetic pole contact portion provided; A magnetic pole generating unit generating a DC current corresponding to each of the anode electrodes and supplying the magnetic poles to the magnetic pole contacting unit; And a control unit controlling the stimulus generating unit so as to generate the DC current corresponding to each of the anode electrodes, and controlling the stimulus generating unit so that the generated DC current is supplied to the stimulus contacting unit.

The anode electrodes of the stimulus generating unit according to the present invention are attached to a region around the brain of the subject to be stimulated by the user, and the cathode electrodes are previously determined to form a current closed circuit with the attached anode electrodes. Attached to the surrounding area.

The controller according to the present embodiment controls the stimulus generating unit such that the generated DC current is simultaneously supplied to the anode electrodes, and the controller controls the generated DC current to the anode electrodes in a predetermined order and in advance. The stimulus generating unit may be controlled to be supplied by a cycle.

The magnetic pole generating unit according to the present invention may further include a protection module for blocking the DC current supplied to the magnetic pole contact unit when the magnitude of the DC current reaches a predetermined threshold value.

The controller according to the present invention can monitor the magnitude of the DC current generated by the stimulus generating unit. The transcranial DC stimulation apparatus further includes a display unit, and the controller may display the magnitude of the monitored DC current through the display unit.

Further comprising a user input unit for adjusting the magnitude of the DC current for each of the positive electrode according to the present invention, wherein the control unit generates the DC current corresponding to the adjusted size through the user input unit to the magnetic pole contact unit The stimulus generating unit is controlled to be supplied with.

In order to solve the above problems, the transcranial direct current stimulation system according to the present invention is in contact with the information terminal device and one region of the subject head, one cathode electrode and the cathode electrode A stimulation contact portion having a plurality of anode electrodes corresponding to the stimulus contact portion, a stimulus generation portion for generating a DC current corresponding to each of the anode electrodes and supplying the stimulation contact portion, and a communication portion for communicating with the information terminal device. And controlling the stimulus generator to generate the DC current corresponding to each of the anode electrodes, and controlling the stimulus generator so that the generated DC current is supplied to the stimulus contacting part, and the DC generated for each of the anode electrodes. Transcranial DC stimulation having a control unit for monitoring the magnitude of the current and transmitting the current to the information terminal device through the communication unit (t) ranscranial direct current stimulation device; characterized in that it comprises a.

The anode electrodes of the stimulus generating unit according to the present invention are attached to a region around the brain of the subject to be stimulated by the user, and the cathode electrodes are previously defined around the brain to form a current closed circuit with the attached anode electrodes. May be attached to the area. The control unit may control the stimulus generating unit such that the generated DC current is simultaneously supplied to the anode electrodes, and the controller may control the generated DC current to the anode electrodes in a predetermined order and a predetermined cycle. The stimulus generating unit is controlled to be alternately supplied.

The magnetic pole generating unit according to the present invention may further include a protection module for blocking the DC current supplied to the magnetic pole contact unit when the magnitude of the DC current reaches a predetermined threshold value.

The control unit according to the present invention, when the magnitude of the DC current for the positive electrode input through the information terminal device is received through the communication unit, the DC current corresponding to the magnitude of the DC current received through the communication unit Generates and controls the stimulus generating unit to supply to the stimulus contacting portion.

The transcranial DC stimulation system according to the present invention further includes a user input unit for adjusting the magnitude of the DC current for each of the anode electrodes, and the control unit corresponds to the direct current corresponding to the size adjusted through the user input unit, respectively. The magnetic pole generating unit may be controlled to generate a current and supply the current to the magnetic pole contacting unit.

The transcranial DC stimulation system according to the present invention further includes a display unit, and the controller may display the monitored information through the display unit.

Transcranial DC stimulation device and system according to the present invention by using a stimulation contact portion having a plurality of anode electrodes and one cathode electrode, electrical stimulation to various parts of the brain while minimizing the inhibition (inhibition) generated by the cathode It can be used suitably for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders and motor disorders. In addition, it is possible to adjust the size of the DC current applied to each of the plurality of magnetic pole regions through the user input unit, thereby increasing convenience of use. In addition, since it can be used in conjunction with an external information terminal device, necessary information can be analyzed more easily.

In addition, the transcranial DC stimulation system and system according to the present invention apply DC current to each of the anode electrodes according to a predetermined order and period, thereby considering the stimulation of the current, the response time of the cortex, the reaction path and the nerve path of the cortex. It allows for a variety of procedures and shortens clinical trial time.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

1 is a block diagram of a transcranial DC stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is an illustration of the use of the magnetic pole contact unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is an exemplary view showing a pattern of the current closed circuit of the transcranial DC stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a block diagram of a control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a prototype photograph of the transcranial DC stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a control procedure of the transcranial DC stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a block diagram of a transcranial DC stimulation system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail embodiments of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of a transcranial DC stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the transcranial direct current stimulation apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a stimulation contact unit 110 and a stimulation generator ( 120, a user input unit 130, a display unit 140, and a controller 160. Transcranial DC stimulation device 100 according to the present embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, through the stimulation contact portion 110 disposed in one area of the subject head of the weak DC current in the range of approximately 0 to 2 By applying a constant electric field around the subject's cerebral cortex, the electrical activity of the brain is controlled. The DC current supplied to the magnetic pole contact unit 110 is generated by the magnetic pole generation unit 120 by the command of the controller 160.

The pole contact unit 110 includes one cathode electrode 114 and a plurality of anode electrodes 112, and includes an extension line connecting the pole generation unit 120 and the electrodes 112 and 114. do. In FIG. 2, four anode electrodes 112 are used, but the number of anode electrodes 112 may be variously provided according to a user's needs. As described above, the transcranial DC stimulation device 100 according to the present embodiment can apply electrical stimulation to various regions by using a plurality of anode electrodes 112, unlike the conventional transcranial DC stimulation device. In addition, the magnetic pole contact unit 110 according to the present embodiment is composed of only one cathode electrode 114, it is possible to minimize the inhibition (inhibition) due to the cathode electrode. In other words, when a large number of oral open-circuit stimulation apparatuses are operated as in the prior art to stimulate various areas of the subject's head, inevitably, an increase in hypertension was inevitable.

Each of the electrodes 112 and 114 of the magnetic pole contact unit 110 is connected to a leader line extending from the output terminals 124a and 126a of the magnetic pole generation unit 120 as shown in FIG. 2. Each of the electrodes 112 and 114 may use platinum, silver, copper, stainless, gold, or a plated gold on a conductor, and is preferably plated with gold and gold. Each area of the electrodes 112, 114 is defined in the range of 25-35.

As shown in FIG. 3, the anode electrodes 112 of the stimulation contact unit 110 are attached to the periphery of the brain of the subject to be stimulated, and the cathode electrode 114 corresponds to the attached anode electrodes 112. It is attached to a region around the brain that can form a predetermined current closed circuit (C). Figure 3 is an exemplary view showing a pattern of the current closed circuit (C) of the transcranial DC stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. That is, FIG. 3 shows through two examples the pattern of the current closed circuit (C) that is expected to be effective when applied to the rehabilitation treatment of a patient with a movement disorder. 3 (a) and 3 (c) are plan views of the head of the subject to which the anode electrode 112 and the cathode electrode 114 are attached, and (b) and (d) are side views of the subject head.

As shown in FIG. 3, the system according to the present embodiment attaches the anode electrodes 112 to two places of the subject's head and attaches the cathode electrode 113 to the forehead portion of the subject for rehabilitation treatment of a patient with a movement disorder. It was. As a result, a current closed circuit (C) pattern as shown in FIG. 3 is expected between the brain regions to which the anode electrodes 112 are attached and the brain region to which the cathode electrode 114 is attached.

In FIG. 3, +1 is applied to the anode electrode 112, and a current closed circuit C is shown when −2 is introduced into the cathode electrode 114. The two anode electrodes 112 are attached at various locations depending on the cortex to be stimulated. Thereby, the system according to the present embodiment can improve the excitability of the cortex of the desired peri-brain region and at the same time the two peri-brain regions can have a useful effect in the rehabilitation treatment of patients with movement disorders. In FIG. 3, only two anode electrodes 112 are used, and only the current applied through each anode electrode 112 is +1, but the number of anode electrodes 112 and the magnitude of the current applied and the electrodes are introduced. This place can be changed according to the needs of the user.

The stimulus generating unit 120 generates a DC current supplied to each of the anode electrodes 112 by a command of the controller 160. As shown in FIG. 2, the stimulus generating unit 120 includes a DC current generating module 122, a positive output module 124, and a negative output module 126.

The DC current generating module 122 generates a DC current to be supplied to each of the anode electrodes 112 by the command of the controller 160 and outputs the DC current to the cathode output module 124. The anode output module 124 includes a cathode output terminal 124a for supplying the DC current supplied from the DC current generating module 122 to the anode electrode 112, respectively. The anode output terminal 124a is connected to each of the anode electrodes 112 by an extension line. The negative output module 126 is connected to the negative output terminal 126a by using the ground voltage of the internal power supply unit (not shown) of the transcranial DC stimulation device 100 as it is. The negative output terminal 126a is connected to the negative electrode 114 by an extension line. The extension lines may be provided in a form detachable from the output terminals 124a and 126a. In addition, the magnetic pole generating unit 120 may include a protection module (not shown) for blocking the DC current supplied to the magnetic pole contact unit 110 when the magnitude of the generated DC current reaches a predetermined threshold. The threshold is preferably set to two.

The user input unit 130 adjusts the magnitude of the DC current applied to each of the anode electrodes 112 according to a user's request. The user input unit 130 may be provided as a variable resistance switch as shown in FIG. 5. The variable resistance switch is separately controlled in correspondence with each anode electrode 112, and the adjusted signal is input to the controller 160. The adjusted signal is converted into a digital signal by an A / D converter (not shown) of the controller 160 as an analog signal.

In the case of four variable resistance switches as shown in FIG. 5, the controller 160 requires at least four A / D converters. The user input unit 130 generates a signal corresponding to the magnitude of the DC current and transmits the signal to the control unit 160. Therefore, the user input unit 130 may use various input devices such as a remote controller and a keyboard. In this case, the controller 160 should have a configuration capable of receiving and processing signals output from such an input device.

The display unit 140 operates by a command of the controller 160 and displays the magnitude of the DC current generated for each of the anode electrodes 112. The user may check the magnitude of the DC current generated by the stimulus generator 120 through the display 140. The display 140 may display the magnitude of the DC current for each of the anode electrodes 112. The display unit 140 converts the signal transmitted from the control unit 160 into an image signal and displays it on a monitor.

The controller 160 controls the above-mentioned components to meet the object of the present invention. The controller 160 may be classified into a user input processing module 162, a current generation module 164, and a display module 166 in functional terms.

The user input processing module 162 converts the magnitude of the DC current adjusted for each of the anode electrodes 112 by the user input unit 130 to be processed by the controller 160 and outputs the processed current to the current generation module 164.

The current generation module 164 generates a control signal for controlling the stimulus generation unit 120 using the signal input from the user input processing module 162. By the control signal, the stimulus generating unit 120 generates a DC current corresponding to each anode electrode 112 and supplies it to the anode electrode 112.

The display module 166 displays the magnitude of the DC current generated by the current generation module 164 through the display unit 140. That is, the display module 166 monitors the magnitude of the DC current generated by the stimulus generating unit 120 and transmits the monitored information to the display unit 140. The display unit 140 displays a screen based on the transmitted information.

6 is a control procedure of the transcranial DC stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control procedure shown in FIG. 6 is a case where the magnitude of the DC current applied to each of the anode electrodes 112 is adjusted by the user input unit 130.

First, the control unit 160 according to an embodiment of the present invention receives signals corresponding to the magnitude of the DC current applied to each of the anode electrodes 112 from the user input unit 130 (S510). The stimulus generating unit 120 is controlled to generate a DC current applied to each of the anode electrodes 112 based on the received signals (S520).

Next, the controller 160 monitors the magnitude of the DC current generated by the stimulus generating unit 120 for each of the anode electrodes 112, and simultaneously supplies the generated DC current to the stimulus contacting unit 110. Control 120 (S530). In detail, the controller 160 controls the stimulus generating unit 120 to simultaneously apply DC current to each of the anode electrodes 112.

In addition, the controller 160 controls the stimulus generator 120 to apply DC current to each of the anode electrodes 112 in a predetermined order and period. For example, when three A, B, and C of the anode electrode 112 are attached to the peri-brain region, A-> B-> C, B-> A-> C, A-> are alternated at predetermined intervals. It may be applied in various orders such as C-> B. This shortens the clinical trial time by enabling various procedures in consideration of the stimulation of the current, the response time of the cortex, and the response and nerve pathways of the cortex.

In addition, the control unit 160 displays the information monitored in the above step through the display unit 140 (S540). The controller 160 is various

Accordingly, the transcranial DC stimulation apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment selectively selects a DC current having a desired size to each of the anode electrodes 112 by adjusting the magnitude of the DC current applied to each anode electrode through the user input unit. Can be added. Accordingly, it is possible to vary the intensity of the magnetic poles for each of the anode electrodes 112 according to the needs of the user.

Hereinafter, a transcranial DC stimulation system according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 7. 7 is a block diagram of a transcranial DC stimulation system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, the transcranial DC stimulation system 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes the transcranial DC stimulation device 200 and the external information terminal device 300 described above. The transcranial DC stimulation device 200 of the transcranial DC stimulation system 10 according to the present embodiment includes a stimulus contacting unit 210, a stimulus generating unit 220, a user input unit 230, a display unit 240, and a communication unit ( 250, and a control unit 260. That is, in the transcranial DC stimulation device 200 according to the present embodiment, the communication unit 250 is added to the transcranial DC stimulation device 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, and the information terminal device is provided through the communication unit 250. Link with 300.

Transcranial DC stimulation system 10 according to the present embodiment can perform two functions. First, the information terminal device 300 has an application for displaying various graphics and numerical values as images by using the magnitude information of the DC current received through the communication unit 250 of the transcranial DC stimulation device 200.

Second, the information terminal device 300 is provided with an application for adjusting the magnitude of the DC current applied to each anode electrode 112, and transmits a signal corresponding to the adjusted magnitude of the DC current to the communication unit 250. have. In response, the controller 260 of the transcranial DC stimulator 200 controls the stimulus generator 220 to generate a DC current according to a signal received through the communicator 250.

The information terminal device 300 is generally provided as a computer having a display device for displaying an image with a user input device such as a keyboard and a communication device for interworking with the communication unit 250 of the transcranial DC stimulation device 200. Can be.

The communication unit 250 is controlled by the control unit 260, and transmits information on the magnitude of the DC current monitored by the control unit 260 to the external information terminal device 300, or from the information terminal device 300. Receives the information on the magnitude of the DC current and transmits it to the control unit 260.

As such, the transcranial DC stimulation system 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention can be operated in conjunction with the external information terminal device 300 can increase the ease of use, transcranial DC flow Since the information of the stimulation device 200 can be variously processed through the external information terminal device 300, the information on the transcranial DC stimulation device 200 can be analyzed in various ways.

The embodiments and drawings attached to this specification are merely to clearly show some of the technical ideas included in the present invention, and those skilled in the art can easily infer within the scope of the technical ideas included in the specification and drawings of the present invention. Modifications that can be made and specific embodiments will be apparent that all included in the scope of the present invention.

10: Transcranial DC stimulation system 100, 200: Transcranial DC stimulation device
110, 210: stimulation contact portion 120, 220: stimulation generator
130, 230: user input unit 140, 240: display unit
250: communication unit 160, 260: control unit
300: information terminal device

Claims (16)

A stimulation contact portion in contact with one region of the subject head, the stimulation contact portion including one cathode electrode and a plurality of anode electrodes;
A magnetic pole generating unit generating a DC current corresponding to each of the anode electrodes and supplying the magnetic poles to the magnetic pole contacting unit; And
And a controller for controlling the stimulus generating unit so as to generate the DC current corresponding to each of the anode electrodes, and controlling the stimulus generating unit so that the generated DC current is supplied to the stimulus contacting unit. Stimulator. The method of claim 1,
The anode electrodes of the stimulus generating unit are attached to a region around the brain of the subject to be stimulated by the user, and the cathode electrodes are attached to a predetermined region around the brain so as to form a current closed circuit with the attached anode electrodes. Transcranial DC stimulation device, characterized in that. The method of claim 2,
And the control unit controls the stimulus generator so that the generated DC current is simultaneously supplied to the anode electrodes. The method of claim 2,
And the control unit controls the stimulus generating unit such that the generated DC current is alternately supplied to the anode electrodes in a predetermined order and a predetermined cycle. The method of claim 1,
The magnetic pole generating unit further comprises a protection module for blocking the DC current supplied to the magnetic pole contact portion when the magnitude of the DC current reaches a predetermined threshold value. The method of claim 1,
And the control unit monitors the magnitude of the DC current generated by the stimulus generating unit. The method of claim 6,
The transcranial DC stimulation device further includes a display unit,
And the control unit displays the magnitude of the monitored DC current through the display unit. The method of claim 1,
The transcranial DC stimulation apparatus further includes a user input unit for adjusting the magnitude of the DC current for each of the anode electrodes.
And the control unit controls the stimulus generating unit to generate the DC current and supply the stimulus contacting unit corresponding to the size adjusted through the user input unit, respectively. An information terminal device; And
A stimulation contact portion in contact with one region of the subject head and having a cathode electrode and a plurality of anode electrodes corresponding to the cathode electrode, and a direct current corresponding to the anode electrodes, respectively. A stimulus generating unit which generates and supplies the stimulus contacting unit, a communication unit for communicating with the information terminal device, and controls the stimulus generating unit to generate the DC current corresponding to each of the anode electrodes, and generates the generated DC current. Transcranial DC stimulation device having a control unit for controlling the stimulus generating unit to supply the stimulus contact unit, and monitors the magnitude of the DC current generated for each of the anode electrodes and transmits to the information terminal device through the communication unit; Transcranial DC stimulation system comprising a. 10. The method of claim 9,
The anode electrodes of the stimulus generating unit are attached to a region around the brain of the subject to be stimulated by the user, and the cathode electrodes are attached to a predetermined region around the brain so as to form a current closed circuit with the attached anode electrodes. Transcranial DC stimulation system, characterized in that the. The method of claim 10,
And the control unit controls the stimulus generating unit such that the generated direct current is simultaneously supplied to the anode electrodes. The method of claim 10,
And the control unit controls the stimulus generating unit such that the generated DC current is alternately supplied to the anode electrodes in a predetermined order and a predetermined cycle. 10. The method of claim 9,
And the stimulus generating unit further includes a protection module for blocking the DC current supplied to the stimulus contacting unit when the magnitude of the DC current reaches a predetermined threshold value. 10. The method of claim 9,
The controller may generate the DC current in response to the magnitude of the DC current received through the communication unit when the magnitudes of the DC currents for the anode electrodes input through the information terminal device are received through the communication unit. Transcranial DC stimulation system, characterized in that for controlling the stimulation generating unit to supply to the stimulation contact. 10. The method of claim 9,
The transcranial DC stimulation system further includes a user input unit for adjusting the magnitude of the DC current for each of the anode electrodes.
And the control unit controls the stimulus generating unit to generate the DC current and supply the stimulus contacting unit corresponding to the size adjusted through the user input unit, respectively. 10. The method of claim 9,
The transcranial DC stimulation system further includes a display unit,
And the control unit displays the monitored information through the display unit.

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