US 12,285,262 B2
Evoked response probe and method of use
Maroun Farah, Nazareth (IL); and Hagai Bergman, Jerusalem (IL)
Assigned to Alpha Omega Engineering Ltd., Nof HaGalil (IL)
Filed by Alpha Omega Engineering Ltd., Nof HaGalil (IL)
Filed on May 29, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/424,528.
Application 16/424,528 is a continuation of application No. 14/475,223, filed on Sep. 2, 2014, granted, now 10,327,663, issued on Jun. 25, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/872,672, filed on Aug. 31, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/872,675, filed on Aug. 31, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2019/0274572 A1, Sep. 12, 2019
Int. Cl. A61B 5/377 (2021.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/293 (2021.01); A61B 46/00 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 5/377 (2021.01) [A61B 5/293 (2021.01); A61B 5/6868 (2013.01); A61B 46/00 (2016.02); A61B 5/6814 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A therapeutic effect assessment system, comprising:
a. a deep brain stimulation (DBS) probe shaped and sized to be inserted into a brain of a subject, having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis, the probe comprising a plurality of contacts operably coupled thereto, disposed along the longitudinal axis, wherein said DBS probe is selectively operable for stimulating electrophysiological evoked responses, and for delivery of a DBS treatment using at least two contacts disposed along the longitudinal axis of said DBS probe;
b. at least one electrode configured to record brain electrical signals generated in response to said stimulated electrophysiological evoked responses caused by said stimulating; and
c. an analysis module electrically connected to said probe and to said at least one electrode, wherein said analysis module is configured to transform or reduce certain parameters from the recorded brain electrical signals generated in response to said electrophysiological evoked responses caused by said stimulating using said at least two contacts using a stimulation threshold, in order to identify a clinical therapeutic threshold of brain stimulation that produces a clinical therapeutic effect of said DBS treatment when using said at least two contacts;
wherein said analysis module is further configured for mapping functional brain regions along an insertion path of said DBS probe;
identifying a motor or a sensory brain region along said insertion path based on said mapping;
wherein said stimulating comprises stimulating said identified motor or sensory brain region using said stimulation threshold using said at least two contacts of said DBS probe.
 
12. A method for assessing a therapeutic effect of brain stimulation in a subject, comprising:
inserting the DBS probe of claim 1 along an insertion path into the brain of a subject;
stimulating a brain region at a first location using a stimulation threshold using at least two contacts of said DBS probe disposed along the longitudinal axis of the DBS probe, in a manner suitable to evoke an electrophysiological response;
recording in a second location brain electrical signals generated in response to said stimulated electrophysiological evoked responses caused by said stimulating;
analyzing the recorded electrical signals;
identifying a clinical therapeutic threshold of brain stimulation that establishes a clinical therapeutically effective window of said DBS treatment when using said at least two contacts for delivery of said DBS treatment, based on said analysis results;
wherein said method further comprises mapping functional brain regions along said insertion path of said DBS probe;
identifying a motor or a sensory brain region along said insertion path based on said mapping;
wherein said stimulating comprises stimulating said identified motor or sensory brain region using said stimulation threshold using said at least two contacts of said DBS probe.