KR20130087990A - Pain signal measurement device and pain signal measuring and controlling method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: Pain signal measurement apparatus, pain signal measurement and control method are provided to easily classify pain intensity by accurately measuring a pain signal transmitted to a brain. CONSTITUTION: A micro probe array measures a pain signal. A protection electrode (130) is formed on a substrate (140). A plurality of micro probes measure voltage and current of the skin. An insulation layer (120) reduces noise between the micro probes. The surface of the insulation layer is grounded to the protection electrode.

Description

PAIN SIGNAL MEASUREMENT DEVICE AND PAIN SIGNAL MEASURING AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF

The present invention relates to a pain signal measuring apparatus and a pain signal measuring and control method thereof.

The present invention relates to a technique that can classify pain quantitatively in the classification of pain, which is known as a qualitative method for acute pain and chronic pain, which is commonly felt by a person. General pain has a different size and feel from individual to person, and the pattern of pain manifested in the brain also varies. In the present invention, the intensity of pain appearing differently is qualitative, and it is considered difficult to find out the exact disease therefrom. The qualitative classification of pain relates to a technique for quantifying pain by measuring a pain signal in a biological signal. That is, the present invention relates to a technique for quantifying pain through a three-dimensional image by measuring a pain signal in the posterior spinal ganglia through a micro probe array and deriving a physical factor from the measured pain signal.

Pain is the secretion of neurotransmitters by the lesion when there are external lesions, and these neurotransmitters express action potentials in the peripheral nerves. These action potentials are transmitted to the spinal cord through neural circuits distributed throughout the body, and the pain signals transmitted to the spinal cord are transmitted to the brain again to sense pain in the process of detecting and expressing pain in the brain.

When defining pain, it is defined as "substantial or potential tissue damage or unpleasant sensory and emotional experiences expressed in connection with such damage." This led to the definition of pain because pain signals are delivered to the brain through neural circuits, making individualized definitions of the overall flow expressed in the brain. In other words, the pain is a signal that the body feels and the magnitude of the expression varies depending on the degree of expression in the brain. The manifestation of pain means that each person exhibits different intensity of pain by releasing neurotransmitters in different amounts.

Therefore, pain has been known to be difficult to quantify its size and intensity, and the reason for treating pain as an empirical value may be attributed to this cause.

But the incidence of pain and the transmission of pathways through neural circuits show the transmission of signals that are common to everyone. That is, the pain occurs and the generation and transmission of the electrochemical signal is different in intensity, but the flow and signal transmission is characterized in common. Therefore, before a pain signal is expressed in the brain and is modulated by different neurotransmitters, different types of signals are commonly transmitted to the brain. This means that pain can be quantified by measuring pain signals before they are modulated in the brain.

In addition, when pain signals are generated in the peripheral nerves and transmitted to the central nerves, all pain signals travel through the dorsal root ganglion in the ascending neural circuit. These spinal ganglia are not distributed in the deep part of the spinal cord but can be seen as neural junctions in the early part of the spinal cord. These spinal ganglions are a problem-solving solution that overcomes the disadvantage of being unable to measure pain signals because most neural circuits are surrounded by muscles and bones and transmitted to the spinal cord and brain when pain signals are generated and transmitted. Can be. In other words, pain signals that have advanced to the spinal cord have many problems due to muscles and bones in measuring the signals. The posterior spinal ganglion is the most suitable place to measure pain signals because many parts are exposed. .

Given that pain signals are introduced into the spinal cord ganglion and delivered to the spinal cord and brain, there is another problem to overcome for measuring pain signals. That means overcoming the high contact resistance of the skin when measuring pain signals through the skin. That is, the skin, although it contains water, has too large a contact resistance to measure internal nerve signals through the skin.

This means that when a nerve signal is measured through an external electrode, the voltage applied to the skin is measured due to its contact resistance, which causes the actual nerve signal to remain at a noise level and thus cannot measure the accurate nerve signal. it means. In other words, the general skin is divided into the epidermis and the dermis. The thickness of the epidermis is approximately 70 μm or more and the dermis lies below this epidermis.

In addition, the epidermis has almost no distribution of ions, resulting in a very high contact resistance, and the dermis has a low contact resistance because it has many ions inside.

Therefore, in order to measure the signal of the actual neural circuit, using a probe longer than the thickness of the epidermis may be one method of accurately measuring the pain signal. In addition, there is an overcoming problem that should not cause a problem causing new pain to measure pain signals. That is, if a pain signal is to be measured using a general probe, when the probe penetrates the epidermis and enters the dermis, new pain may not be expressed to accurately measure pain. Therefore, there is a problem that the shape of the probe to be measured should be limited to the size that does not cause pain.

The present invention is proposed to quantify the pain signal, and to measure the pain and quantify the pain from the physicochemical measuring method for the pain that was previously cited as an emotional experience and could not provide a standard for quantification.

An apparatus for measuring pain signal according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a micro probe array inserted into a skin to measure a pain signal, the micro probe array comprising: a protective electrode formed on a substrate; A plurality of micro probes penetrating the substrate and the protective electrode, electrically blocked by an insulator by the insulator, and measuring voltage or current of the inserted skin; And an insulating layer formed between the protective electrode and the protected electrode of each of the micro probes to reduce noise between the micro probes, wherein the electrical signal of each of the micro probes is attached to the surface of the insulating layer. It is protected by being grounded to the electrode.

A pain signal measuring method of a pain signal measuring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, the pain signal measuring apparatus includes at least one micro probe array, the at least one micro probe array, a protective electrode formed on a substrate; A plurality of micro probes penetrating the substrate and the protection electrode and electrically blocked by the protection electrode; An insulating layer formed between the protective electrode and the protected electrode of each of the micro probes to reduce noise between the micro probes, and to protect by the insulating layer of each of the micro probes and the protective electrode. Grounded to a protective electrode, the pain signal measuring method comprising: attaching the at least one micro probe array to the skin; And the at least one micro probe array penetrating the epidermis of the skin and measuring the action potential of nerves in the dermis of the skin.

A pain control method using a pain signal measuring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, the pain signal measuring apparatus includes at least one micro probe array, the at least one micro probe array, a protective electrode formed on a substrate; A plurality of micro probes penetrating the substrate and the protection electrode and electrically blocked by the protection electrode; An insulating layer formed between the protective electrode and the protected electrode of each of the micro probes to reduce noise between the micro probes, the surface of the insulating layer of each of the micro probes is grounded to the protective electrode, The pain control method may comprise: measuring the pain signal from a nerve in the dermis of the skin through the at least one micro probe array through the epidermis of the skin; Delivering the measured pain signal to an external circuit; And the external circuitry transmits a pain control signal to the at least one micro probe array for modulating the pain signal to which the pain signal is to be transmitted to the brain based on the transmitted pain signal.

The apparatus and method for measuring pain signals according to the present invention can obtain the effect of classifying pain intensity by accurately measuring pain signals transmitted to the brain by measuring pain signals.

The apparatus and method for measuring pain signals according to the present invention can provide a criterion for distinguishing pain from individual pain locations, acute and chronic pain.

The apparatus and method for measuring pain signals according to the present invention can provide a criterion for diagnosing primary diseases by indexing and quantifying pain.

1 illustrates a micro probe array for measuring pain signals.
2 is a view showing a form in which a micro probe array is inserted into the skin.
3 is a view showing a device for attaching an electrode to the skin using a suction.
4 is a diagram showing the form of post- spinal ganglion attachment of the micro probe array pain signal measurement and control.
5 shows a micro probe array signal distribution for measurement of pain signal.
6 exemplarily illustrates derivation of physical factors according to analysis of pain signals.
7 illustratively illustrates the mapping of pain from pain signal physical factors.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the technical idea of the present invention.

The present invention provides a painless micro-probe for pain signal measurement to measure pain signal, pain signal measurement in the spinal cord ganglion for accurate signal measurement of pain signal, physical factors that can determine the pain intensity from the measured pain signal Derivation and pain can be quantified through a three-dimensional mapping technique that can quantify pain by location and pain by intensity through these physical factors.

An apparatus and method for measuring pain signals according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a micro probe capable of largely measuring pain signals, a position method in the posterior spinal ganglion for measuring pain signals of such micro probes, and for accurate measurement of pain signals. Measurement of pain signal measurement through suction-type vacuum device to measure the body's overall pain signal by contacting the probe with the body and by placing several pain signal probes in the spinal ganglion. Measurement method for measuring the voltage generated from the pain signal by electrode distribution through the electrode for measuring pain signals, a derivation method for deriving physical factors from these pain distribution signals, and pain signals by position, position, and physical 3D matrix-based pain quantification by factor Includes mapping techniques.

1 is a view showing a micro probe array according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the micro probe array 100 for measuring pain signals includes a guarded electrode 110, an insulating layer 120, a guard electrode 130, and a substrate 140. do.

The protected electrode 110 measures the pain signal and is present at the end of each micro probe. Here, each micro probe may penetrate the substrate 140 and the protection electrode 130, may be electrically blocked by the protection electrode 130, and measure the voltage or current of the inserted skin. In this case, the protection electrode 130 is formed on the substrate, and may be connected or separated from each other, and may be independent or common ground.

The insulating layer 120 may include a protective electrode 130 to reduce noise caused by coupling between the micro probes and noise generated by an external electric field, and noise included in an electrical signal of the dermis of the skin to be measured. ) And the protected electrode 110 of each of the micro probes. The surface of the insulating layer of each of the micro probes may be grounded to the protective electrode 130.

Typical micro probe arrays consist only of probe electrodes for the measurement of pain signals. That is, it consists only of a space in which the sample can be placed without an insulating layer or other layer to reduce noise between the electrode and the electrode. In the conventional configuration, when the voltage or current measured by the probe electrode is high, the signal can be measured easily because the magnitude of the signal is very high compared to the noise. When the magnitude is low, that is, when the signal to noise ratio is low, the generation of noise between the measurement probes prevents the measurement of the high signal. This has the disadvantage of measuring probes forming a noise loop to form new noise. Therefore, fabrication of electrodes that can minimize these noises must be accompanied in low current and low voltage measurements.

On the other hand, the micro probe array 100 according to the present invention, as shown in Figure 1 through the fabrication of the electrode consisting of a protective electrode 130, a protected electrode 110 and the insulator layer 120, as described above The problem can be solved. That is, by forming the insulator layer 120 between the measurement probe and the probe, and forming the protective electrode 130 which can individually or common ground the surface of the insulating layer, it is possible to minimize the formation of noise.

In addition, by removing the noise flowing from the electrode that is not measured through the ground has the advantage that can be measured without a pain signal actually measured. In addition, each protective electrode 130 has the advantage of measuring the voltage of a constant value by uniformly forming and measuring the electric field to be measured in the protected electrode (110). This serves to minimize the edge effect formed in the alternating electric field by removing the non-uniform electric field formed in accordance with the structure of the electrode in the protective electrode 130 through the ground.

In an embodiment, the micro probe for measuring pain signals may be made of the protective electrodes 130 in common with each other, and the protective electrodes 130 may also be separated from each other and arbitrarily grounded in common and alone (not shown). ).

In an embodiment, the pain probe measurement microprobe may also have a diameter of 100 μm or less that does not cause pain, and the length may be 70 μm or more, which is larger than the epidermal thickness of the skin.

In an embodiment, the spacing between the electrodes of the micro probe array is preferably smaller than the length of Myelin sheath (1 mm) in the neural circuit.

FIG. 2 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating a method of measuring neural signals using the microprobe array 100 illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, in the neural signal measuring method, the micro probe array 100 penetrates the epidermis 210 and is deep enough to have high conductivity by ions in the dermis 220 and flows from the nerve 230. Can measure the action potential.

In general, the conductivity in the dermis 220 shows a high conductivity by the distribution of a lot of electrolytes to increase the electrical conductivity in the dermis 220. This is because the probe in the micro probe array 100 is longer than the thickness of the dermis 220 so that the low conductivity of the epidermis 210 in the epidermis 210 can be solved. Can be read as a signal. In addition, by forming a micro probe array 100 having a spacing smaller than that of the myelin sheath is about 1mm, it is possible to read a signal from the actual nerve.

3 is a diagram illustrating a method of attaching the skin of the micro probe array 100 shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 3, in order to firmly attach the micro probe array 100 to the skin 310, the electrode may be firmly attached to the skin surface by using an attachment device 330 having a suction form. The attachment device 3230 is attached by removing air from the suction 320 to lower the pressure. Through this, the micro probe array 100 may penetrate the epidermis and meet the electrolyte in the dermis to increase the signal ratio by increasing the noise to high signal-to-noise ratio with low resistance, that is, high conductivity. The measured signal will be introduced or discharged through the signal transmission line 340.

4 is a diagram illustrating a pain signal measuring method in the dorsal root ganglion (410) using the pain signal measuring apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4. The pain signal measuring apparatus 300 having a plurality of micro probe arrays (eg, 100 of FIG. 1) may measure pain signals in the posterior spinal ganglion 410. The spinal cord ganglion 410 is distributed outside the spine, which is the nerve that is most closely distributed to the outside to be the part of the body that can best measure the pain signal. By attaching the micro probe array 100 to the pain signal measurement site, the pain signal flowing from each part of the body may be measured through the plurality of micro probe arrays 100.

In addition, by attaching the micro probe array 100 to the limbs, that is, the arms and legs to generate a reference signal having a different form from the pain signal, the micro probe array 100 becomes a reference for measuring pain separately from the pain signal generated due to pain. (Not shown). That is, when the pain signal comes from the leg, the micro-probe array 100 for biosignal modulation is attached to a similar site where the pain is generated, thereby generating a new shape, and simultaneously measuring the signal in the posterior spinal ganglion 410. This is a criterion for determining the form and speed of pain signal by inferring the speed and location of the pain signal transmitted from the site where pain occurs.

From these criteria it is possible to apply a reference point for other pain signals to trace back the location of the pain as well as to trace back the pain in the associated human organs rather than in the immediate area, such as associated pain. It is also a new reference point for locating pain causes that occur even in the absence of the organ, such as ghost pain.

Referring back to FIG. 4, the pain signal may be controlled using the micro probe array 100. The electrode of the micro probe array 100 is a measurement base capable of measuring pain signals. In this regard, the pain signal may be a reference point for transmitting the size and shape of the pain signal to the external circuit through the micro probe array 100. This means that the pain signal appears externally, and in reverse, it can introduce a new signal inside.

That is, when a pain occurs and a pain signal is transmitted to the brain, when a pain control signal is inversely injected to externally modulate the pain signal, the pain signal will appear in a new form in the brain. That is, the pain signal may be killed by periodically injecting a pain control signal through a signal having ± 90 degrees or a phase modulation with respect to the pain signal. Alternatively, a pain control signal may be introduced so that the brain does not feel pain by continuously injecting a signal that is faster than the pain signal so as to distinguish the pain signal from the incoming signal.

The pain control signal capable of controlling such a pain signal may be an AC and DC signal, and the pain may be controlled by adjusting a phase difference from the outside to control the pain signal. The external input signal to be controlled and modulated can be a sine wave, a pulse wave, or a square wave, and its shape can be a combination of waveforms.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a pain signal analysis method using the microprobe array 100 illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 5, there is an action potential starting point in the micro probe array 100 when a pain signal is introduced into the posterior spinal ganglion. That is, the pain signal is first measured at the starting point of the action potential and the action potential is additionally generated at the remaining traveling direction electrode.

Therefore, the magnitude of the action potential is greatest in the posterior spinal ganglion where the action potential occurs first, and the magnitude of the action potential is different for each probe position. In other words, when the action potential first vibrates and exhibits the characteristics of alternating current and vibrates with an amplitude having a low voltage in a part other than the direction of the action potential.

Such a pain signal also varies in magnitude depending on the arrangement and potential of the micro probe array 100. That is, when the six adjacent electrodes are grounded differently, the action potential having the highest signal appears differently depending on the ground shape. By varying the arrangement and grounding of the micro probe array 100 as described above, it is possible to measure a high sensitivity signal for the pain signal. In addition, when the pain signal is measured (not shown) with time in this distribution, the direction of pain progression and the direction of inflow can be measured. This is the basis for identifying the source of pain.

6 is a diagram illustrating a method of deriving a physical factor from a pain signal according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, pain signals may be divided into acute pain and chronic pain. The pain signal is divided into a form in which the pain signal is generated and propagated. That is, in the case of acute pain, the action potential rapidly increases, and when a certain threshold is passed, the pain propagates well in the Aδ fiber of the nerve fiber, and the chronic pain increases slowly. However, the duration is longer than that of acute pain.

This chronic pain is also transmitted through the C nerve fibers among the nerve fibers. Therefore, physical factors that can be determined by distinguishing pain include frequency of pain signal detected from pain signal, number of peaks of pain signal, change of threshold in pain signal, slope of pain signal increase and decrease, duration of pain signal, The physical parameters for pain development can be defined through the micro probe of the pain signal and the position in the modulated signal.

These physical factors are deeply related to the frequency of pain, the time of occurrence, the size of pain, the rate of pain increase, the sum of pain, the speed of pain, and the like. For example, in case of acute pain, the frequency, the number of peaks and the slope will be high, and the duration will be low.

Chronic pain will also be prolonged in duration. This will be different for each disease of pain. It is also different for each individual. However, the change in pain that occurs in each individual is different in the level that each individual feels, and the pattern is similar.

Therefore, when the correlation of these physical functions is plotted, it becomes a criterion for shaping pain.

7 is a diagram illustrating a 3D mapping technique of a pain signal according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7, the physical factors for pain expression include the frequency of pain signals detected, the number of peaks of pain signals, changes in thresholds in pain signals, gradients of pain signals, duration of pain signals, pain signals Depends on the position of the micro probe and the modulation signal. The magnitude of these signals forms a pattern from which the pain signals can be mapped. That is, mapping can be achieved for acute pain and various chronic pains. Referring to FIG. 8, each of the physical factors and the time axis has a different form for each pain category. From this, it becomes a standard for quantifying pain in three dimensions.

Referring to FIG. 7, when pain occurs in a left state where pain does not occur, the state is changed to a new state right state. By analyzing the shape of the variation, that is, the three-dimensional shape, it is possible to map an image appearing for each pain.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the above-described embodiments, but should be determined by the equivalents of the claims of the present invention as well as the claims of the following.

100: micro probe array
110: protected electrode
120: insulation layer
130: protective electrode
140: substrate
210: cuticle
220: dermis
230: nerve fiber
310: skin
320: suction
330: air discharge pump
340: signal entry
410: spinal cord ganglia

Claims (20)

A micro probe array inserted into the skin to measure pain signals,
The micro probe array,
A protective electrode formed on the substrate;
A plurality of micro probes penetrating the substrate and the protective electrode, electrically blocked by the protective electrode, and measuring voltage or current of the inserted skin;
An insulating layer formed between the protective electrode and the protected electrode of each of the micro probes to reduce noise between the micro probes,
And a surface of the insulating layer of each of the micro probes is grounded to the protective electrode. The method of claim 1,
And a pain signal measuring device that is solely grounded to the protective electrode on the surface of the insulating layer of each of the micro probes. The method of claim 1,
And a pain signal measuring device commonly grounded to the protective electrode on the surface of the insulating layer of each of the micro probes. The method of claim 1,
And a substrate electrode configured to set the microprobe electrode and the protective electrode to a reference voltage as a reference voltage. The method of claim 1,
Each of the micro probes is a pain signal measuring apparatus having a diameter of less than 100㎛ and 50㎛ or more. The method of claim 1,
Wherein the spacing between the protected electrodes in each of the micro probes is less than the myelin sheath length in the neural circuit. The method of claim 1,
And a pain signal transmission line configured to receive a pain signal from a protected electrode of each of the micro probes, or to transmit a pain control signal to the protected electrode from the outside. The method of claim 1,
A suction surrounding the micro probe array; And
And an attachment control device for deflating the suction to attach the micro probe array to the skin. A pain signal measuring method of a pain signal measuring apparatus, the pain signal measuring apparatus comprising: at least one micro probe array, wherein the at least one micro probe array comprises: a protective electrode formed on a substrate; A plurality of micro probes penetrating the substrate and the protection electrode and electrically blocked by the protection electrode; An insulating layer formed between the protective electrode and the protected electrode of each of the micro probes to reduce noise between the micro probes, and to protect by the insulating layer of each of the micro probes and the protective electrode. Grounded to the protective electrode, the pain signal measuring method,
Attaching the at least one micro probe array to the skin; And
And said at least one micro probe array comprises measuring the action potential of nerves in the dermis of said skin through the epidermis of said skin. The method of claim 9,
Attaching the at least one micro probe array to the skin,
And removing the air of the suction surrounding the at least one micro probe array. The method of claim 9,
And the at least one micro probe array is plural. The method of claim 11,
At least one of the at least one micro probe array is attached to the posterior spinal ganglion to measure a pain signal, and at least one of the at least one micro probe array is attached to an arm and a leg to determine the pain signal. Pain signal measurement method to measure the. 13. The method of claim 12,
And inferring the velocity and position of the pain signal using the reference signal. 13. The method of claim 12,
And measuring the pain signal by varying the arrangement and grounding of the at least one micro probe array. 15. The method of claim 14,
Measuring a pain signal over time in the at least one micro probe array; And
And inferring a progressing direction and an inflowing direction of the pain signal from the pain signal measured for each time. The method of claim 12,
And identifying a pattern of pain using at least one of the period, occurrence time, magnitude, increase rate, decrease rate, magnitude of signal, and duration of the pain signal. 17. The method of claim 16,
The method of measuring a pain signal further comprising the step of mapping to acute pain or chronic pain through the pain pattern. A pain control method using a pain signal measuring apparatus, the pain signal measuring apparatus comprising: at least one micro probe array, wherein the at least one micro probe array comprises: a protective electrode formed on a substrate; A plurality of micro probes penetrating the substrate and the protection electrode and electrically blocked by the protection electrode; An insulating layer formed between the protective electrode and the protected electrode of each of the micro probes to reduce noise between the micro probes, the surface of the insulating layer of each of the micro probes is grounded to the protective electrode, The pain control method,
The at least one micro probe array penetrating the epidermis of the skin and measuring pain signals from nerves in the dermis of the skin;
Delivering the measured pain signal to an external circuit; And
And the external circuitry comprises transmitting a pain control signal to the at least one micro probe array for modulating the pain signal to be delivered to the brain based on the transmitted pain signal. The method of claim 18,
The pain control signal has a phase of ± 90 degrees relative to the pain signal,
And wherein the period of the pain control signal is faster than the period of the pain signal. The method of claim 18,
The pain control signal is an alternating current or direct current signal,
And controlling pain by adjusting a phase difference of the pain control signal with respect to the pain signal.

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