Multiscale brain electrode devices and methods for using the multiscale brain electrodes

Abstract

Multiscale brain electrodes can be used for spatiotemporal mapping, probing, and therapeutic modulation of the human brain. The applications for such functional mapping and electrical stimulation modulation span, for example, neurological and psychiatric diseases, and brain rehabilitation.

1 . A brain electrode device comprising:
 one or more macroelectrodes; and   a plurality of microelectrodes encompassed within each macroelectrode of the one or more macroelectrodes,   wherein each microelectrode and each macroelectrode is electrically isolated.   
     
     
         2 . The brain electrode device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more macroelectrodes comprise at least two macroelectrodes. 
     
     
         3 . The brain electrode device of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of additional electrodes that are larger than the microelectrodes and that are encompassed within each macroelectrode of the one or more macroelectrodes. 
     
     
         4 . The brain electrode device of  claim 1 , wherein the brain electrode device is configured for permanent implantation in contact with a brain of a human patient. 
     
     
         5 . The brain electrode device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more macroelectrodes comprise at least ten macroelectrodes. 
     
     
         6 . The brain electrode device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microelectrodes encompassed within each macroelectrode comprises at least four microelectrodes. 
     
     
         7 . The brain electrode device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microelectrodes encompassed within each macroelectrode comprises at least 16 microelectrodes. 
     
     
         8 . A method of stimulating and mapping activity of a brain of a human patient, the method comprising:
 coupling a brain electrode device to the patient such that the brain electrode device can detect EEGs of the brain, wherein the brain electrode device comprises:
 one or more macroelectrodes; and 
 a plurality of microelectrodes encompassed within each macroelectrode of the one or more macroelectrodes, 
 wherein each microelectrode and each macroelectrode is electrically isolated; 
   providing an electrical stimulation to the brain from the one or more macroelectrodes; and   after providing the electrical stimulation, detecting, using the plurality of microelectrodes, micro-EEGs from the brain.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising recording EEGs from the brain using the one or more macroelectrodes. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising determining, based on the micro-EEGs, the patient is having micro-seizures. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining, based on the determining the patient is having micro-seizures, one or more seizure loci. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising determining one or more loci based on determining the patient is having one of more of: (i) changes in pathological biomarkers recorded on the brain electrode device, (ii) micro epileptiform discharges, (iii) pathological high frequency oscillations, (iv) focal slow-wave oscillations, (v) micro DC-shifts, and (vi) micro-seizures. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 one or more multiscale electrodes configured and operable for (i) actively probing, (ii) passively recording and (iii) measuring biomarkers including at least one of the group including interictal spikes, high frequency oscillations, focal slow oscillations, focal DC shifts, and microseizures of brain, the multiscale electrodes comprising:
 one or more macroelectrodes; and 
 a plurality of microelectrodes encompassed within each macroelectrode of the one or more macroelectrodes, wherein each microelectrode and each macroelectrode is electrically isolated; and 
   a computer processing system configured and operable for:
 analyzing multi-scale electrophysiological data acquired from the one or more multiscale electrodes; and 
 mapping epileptogenic brain using the multi-scale electrophysiological data acquired from the one or more multiscale electrodes. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the biomarkers of the brain are measured on micro-scales during an interictal state. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the interictal state is during intraoperative or during pharmacological interventions. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the biomarkers of the brain are measured on macro-scales during an interictal state. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the interictal state is during intraoperative or during pharmacological interventions. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the biomarkers of the brain are measured on micro-scales and on macro-scales during an interictal state. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the interictal state is during intraoperative or during pharmacological interventions.