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Patent No. 4305402 Method for transcutaneous electrical stimulation

 

Patent No. 4305402  Method for transcutaneous electrical stimulation (Katims, Dec 15, 1981)

Abstract

A method and apparatus for monitoring and obtaining actual bio-electrical characteristics of a subject, such as EEG, or determinants of the psycho-electro-physiological state of the subject, under predetermined conditions of evoked response stimuli, and by interaction with a computer, apply cutaneous electrical stimulation to the subject, using a signal generator to modify current amplitude and frequency in a direction to achieve bio-electrical characteristics in the subject related to the actual bio-electrical characteristics monitored. The signal generator may have an output of several frequencies simultaneously, and uses a sinusoidal waveform output, with battery power passed through a transformer to power a transconductance amplifier to obtain constant current output despite resistance changes in the line with the subject, and with the transformer not placed in the signal path of the sinusoidal waveform.

 

Notes:

 

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to bio-electric stimulators utilized and more particularly to stimulation by transcutaneous application of electricity as a therapeutic tool.

In medicine the earliest known bio-electric stimulators for the direct application of electricity to the human skin as a therapeutic tool appeared around 1750. The direct application of electrical stimulation to human neuronal tissue or stimulation has also been in a therapeutic use for the past 20 years.

Various therapeutic applications of mild electric stimulation, in contrast to gross stimulation such as electroconvulsive shock, directly applied to human skin has been purported to include sleep induction or curing of insomnia, anesthesia, analgesia, attenuation of withdrawal from drug addiction, relief from asthma, as well as relief from anxiety and depression.

The therapeutic applications of direct electrical stimulation to neural tissue or subcutaneous stimulation includes induction of analgesia, allevation of symptoms of multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and spasticity, facilitation of the healing of non-union bone fractures, cardiac and diaphragm pacemakers, as well as electrical bladder control. Another application of electrical stimulation is in the field of bio-research, primarily electrophysiology.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to be able to provide a unique medical record of the brain's electrophysiological state and its response to different frequencies and types of stimulation which is of great value in the field of neurology. The present invention can also be utilized for the study of intelligence and psychoneurological disorders.

Eventually, a doctor, after completing a profile on a patient, utilizing the present invention, would be able to prescribe machine settings in order to help the patient wake up, go to sleep, replace drugs, play a song, or a game of pinball.

A further advantage of the present invention is its use in the electrical stimulator of a constant current output. The advantage of a constant current output is that it automatically accounts and corrects for any fluctuations in electrical resistance that may occur within the over-all system. This would not be accounted for by a constant voltage output. Constant current also provides a superior margin of electrical safety in comparison with constant voltage where fluctuations in electrical resistance can cause shocking to the subject. Changes in resistance could be due to natural endogenous fluctuations in the resistance of human tissue; i.e. perspiration, or exogenous resistance fluctuations caused by the drying out of electrode paste used with the electrodes.

Another advantage is use of constant current which resembles the natural current flow in neuro-electrophysiology. Caution must be exercised if a constant voltage source is applied instead of constant current since a person could serve as a rectifying load thereby leaving a net charge on their self which would lead to desensitization.

An additional safety feature of the present invention is a clipping system used in the electrical stimulator.

It is a further object of the present invention to establish a system for back and forth interaction between an electrical stimulator and a control computer.

Another object of the present invention is to disclose a method and apparatus which operates in response to an actual psycho-electro-physiological state to modify current amplitude and frequency in a direction to achieve the desired such state. In a more limited aspect, in response to an actual EEG, to modify amplitude of current and frequency in a direction to achieve a desired EEG.

Further, it is an object to achieve such state by cutaneous electrical stimulation.

Also it is an object to obtain therapy for the subject by producing altered subjective electro-physiological states in the subject. Value of the present invention is shown in the relief of subjective physiological distress associated with disease as well as creating a favorable subjective physiological state in the normal subject.

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