US 11,890,492 B2
Device for treating dementia, method for operating said device, and program
Hiroaki Shimokawa, Miyagi (JP); Hiroshi Kanai, Miyagi (JP); Hirofumi Taki, Miyagi (JP); Kumiko Eguchi, Miyagi (JP); and Tomohiro Shindo, Miyagi (JP)
Assigned to SOUND WAVE INNOVATION CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 16/498,428
Filed by SOUND WAVE INNOVATION CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Mar. 30, 2018, PCT No. PCT/JP2018/013893
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 27, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/181991, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 4, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 2017-067572 (JP), filed on Mar. 30, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0289855 A1, Sep. 17, 2020
Int. Cl. A61N 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61N 7/00 (2013.01) [A61N 2007/0026 (2013.01); A61N 2007/0078 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for treating dementia, comprising:
a plurality of ultrasound probes;
an ultrasound transducer arranged in each of the ultrasound probes and configured to propagate unfocused ultrasound energy to an entirety of a brain; and
an ultrasound generator connected to each of the ultrasound probes,
wherein the ultrasound generator is configured to control the ultrasound transducer so as to sequentially radiate the unfocused ultrasound energy between the plurality of ultrasound probes,
wherein a frequency of the radiated unfocused ultrasound energy is set within a range of from 0.5 megahertz (“MHz”) to 0.8 MHz,
wherein the radiated unfocused ultrasound energy is a non-continuous wave, and a number of cycles thereof is set within a range of from 1 cycle to 64 cycles,
wherein the unfocused ultrasound energy irradiation from the plurality of ultrasound probes is performed at an interval of 0.30/f ms or more, where f represents a frequency (MHz) of a pulse to be transmitted,
wherein a sound pressure of radiated ultrasound directly under the ultrasound transducer is within a range of from 0.1 MegaPascal (“MPa”) to 1.5 MPa,
wherein a treatment time with ultrasound is set within a range of 15 to 60 minutes,
wherein the dementia is treated by enhancing expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (“eNOS”),
wherein the unfocused ultrasound energy is diffused in an inversely tapered shape gradually enlarging in diameter toward a radiation direction,
wherein a spreading angle of an inclined surface of the unfocused ultrasound energy in the inversely tapered shape enlarging in diameter is from 50° to 100°, and
the ultrasound generator is configured to stimulate vascular endothelial cells by applying an average intensity of 720 mW/cm2 or less to enhance the expression of eNOS, VEGF, and bFGF.