System and method for providing phototherapy to the brain

Abstract

A therapeutic treatment system and method are provided. The therapeutic system includes a light source adapted to irradiate at least a portion of the brain with light and a non-light energy source adapted to apply non-light energy to the at least a portion of the brain. The therapeutic treatment method includes irradiating at least a portion of a patient's brain with light and applying a non-light energy to the at least a portion of the patient's brain. The therapeutic treatment method provides therapeutic treatment without damaging the scalp tissue of the patient.

1 . A method of controlling a combined therapeutic treatment to a patient's brain to treat at least one of stroke and Alzheimer's disease, the method comprising:
 transmitting at least one first control signal to a light source,   wherein the light source is responsive to the at least one first control signal by generating light configured for transmission through the scalp of the patient to a target area of the brain; and   transmitting at least one second control signal to an ultrasound transducer,   wherein the ultrasound transducer is responsive to the at least one second control signal by generating ultrasonic energy configured for transmission through intervening tissue to the target area of the brain, and   wherein said light and ultrasonic energy are configured for providing combined treatment to the brain to treat at least one of stroke and Alzheimer's disease.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said light and said ultrasonic energy are configured for providing combined treatment to the brain without ablating the intervening tissue. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound transducer is responsive to the at least one second control signal by transmitting ultrasonic energy concurrently with transmitting of light from the light source in response to the at least one first control signal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the light has an irradiance between about 0.01 mW/cm 2  and about 100 mW/cm 2  at a depth of 3 centimeters below the surface of the patient's scalp. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the light has a wavelength between about 780 nm and about 840 nm. 
     
     
         6 . A method of treating stroke in a patient's brain, the method comprising:
 identifying a patient suffering from an ischemic event;   irradiating at least a portion of the patient's brain through the skull of said patient with light having a wavelength between about 780 nm and about 840 nm,   wherein said light has an irradiance sufficient to penetrate through the skull and cause neuroprotective effects following the ischemic event;   applying a non-light energy to at least the portion of the patient's brain,   wherein said light and non-light energy are configured to provide treatment to at least the portion of the patient's brain without damaging the scalp tissue of the patient.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the non-light energy comprises ultrasonic energy. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the non-light energy comprises radio frequency energy. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the non-light energy comprises magnetic energy. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the light has an irradiance between about 100 mW/cm 2  and about 10 W/cm 2  at the patient's scalp. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein applying the non-light energy occurs concurrently with irradiating the at least a portion of the patient's brain. 
     
     
         12 . A method of treating Alzheimer's disease in a patient's brain, the method comprising:
 identifying a patient suffering from Alzheimer's disease;   irradiating at least a portion of the patient's brain through the skull of said patient with light,   wherein said light has an irradiance sufficient to penetrate through the skull and cause neuroprotective effects;   applying a non-light energy to at least the portion of the patient's brain, wherein said light and non-light energy are configured to provide therapeutic treatment to at least the portion of the patient's brain without damaging the scalp tissue of the patient.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein applying the non-light energy occurs concurrently with irradiating the at least a portion of the patient's brain. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the light has a wavelength between about 780 nm and about 840 nm. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the non-light energy comprises ultrasonic energy. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the non-light energy comprises radio frequency energy. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the non-light energy comprises magnetic energy. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the light has an irradiance between about 100 mW/cm 2  and about 10 W/cm 2  at the patient's scalp. 
     
     
         19 . A therapeutic system for providing therapy to a patient's brain, the therapeutic system comprising:
 a light source adapted to irradiate at least a portion of the brain with light;   an element adapted to inhibit temperature increases at the scalp, wherein the element is adapted to apply pressure to at least a portion of the scalp to blanch the portion of the scalp, wherein at least a portion of the element is in an optical path of the light from the light source to the scalp; and   a non-light energy source adapted to apply non-light energy to at least the portion of the brain.   
     
     
         20 . The therapeutic system of  claim 19 , wherein the light has a wavelength between about 780 nm and about 840 nm. 
     
     
         21 . The therapeutic system of  claim 19 , wherein the non-light energy source comprises an ultrasonic energy source. 
     
     
         22 . The therapeutic system of  claim 19 , wherein the non-light energy source comprises a radio frequency field source. 
     
     
         23 . The therapeutic system of  claim 19 , wherein the non-light energy source comprises a magnetic field source. 
     
     
         24 . The therapeutic system of  claim 19 , wherein the light source is adapted to irradiate at least a portion of the brain with light having an irradiance between about 0.01 mW/cm 2  at a depth of approximately 2 centimeters below the patient's dura. 
     
     
         25 . A therapeutic system for providing therapy to a patient's brain, the therapeutic system comprising:
 a light source adapted to irradiate at least a portion of the brain with light; and   a non-light energy source adapted to apply non-light energy to at least the portion of the brain, wherein the light source and the non-light source are adapted to irradiate at least the portion of the brain and to apply the non-light energy to at least the portion of the brain concurrently.   
     
     
         26 . The therapeutic system of  claim 25 , wherein the light has a wavelength between about 780 nm and about 840 nm. 
     
     
         27 . The therapeutic system of  claim 25 , wherein the non-light energy source comprises an ultrasonic energy source. 
     
     
         28 . The therapeutic system of  claim 25 , wherein the non-light energy source comprises a radio frequency field source. 
     
     
         29 . The therapeutic system of  claim 25 , wherein the non-light energy source comprises a magnetic field source. 
     
     
         30 . The therapeutic system of  claim 25 , wherein the light source is adapted to irradiate at least a portion of the brain with light having an irradiance between about 0.01 mW/cm 2  at a depth of approximately 2 centimeters below the patient's dura. 
     
     
         31 .- 50 . (canceled)