System and method for generating electromagnetic treatment protocols

Abstract

A system includes a communication interface for receiving information that includes data collected from an array of neural activity sensors that were placed on a patient during a session of applied stimuli. A processor is configured to analyze the received information to obtain a frequency spectrum for each sensor for a given stimulus of the applied stimuli. Neural network frequencies that correspond to an indicated impaired functionality of the nervous system of the patient are selected. For each selected frequencies, a spatial map of neural activity is generated. Each of the generated spatial maps is compared with retrieved corresponding spatial maps to identify treatment frequencies from among the selected neural network frequencies. A treatment protocol is generated for input into an electromagnetic field generator to cause the generator to apply to the patient an electromagnetic field at each identified treatment frequency.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of stroke treatment in a stroke patient, the method comprising:
 receiving measurements comprising, for each of a plurality of neural functions, frequency and amplitude patterns of neural activity measured during one or more attempted stroke patient tasks respectively associated with said neural function;   determining, for each of at least one of the frequency and amplitude patterns of neural activity, one or more impaired frequencies associated with deviation from healthy neural activity; and   applying electromagnetic energy fields at the one or more impaired frequencies to at least most areas of a brain of the stroke patient.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the frequency and amplitude patterns of neural activity is associated with a respective neural network comprising a plurality of components of the nervous system associated with said neural function;   a hemorrhagically damaged or ischemic brain region of the stroke patient is a component among the plurality of components; and   the at least most areas of the brain include at least a plurality of the plurality of components.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more impaired frequencies includes first and second impaired frequencies, respectively associated with first and second neural networks comprising different pluralities of components of the nervous system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a hemorrhagically damaged or ischemic brain region of the stroke patient is a component among the pluralities of components. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first neural network is distinguished from the second neural network by association with one or more of the group of functionalities consisting of memory, planning, activation, control, and feedback. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises determining one or more of:
 deviation from frequency and amplitude patterns of neural activity representative of a healthy subject, and   similarity to frequency and amplitude patterns of neural activity representative of a defectively functioning neural network.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the frequency and amplitude patterns of neural activity are spatially mapped. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the spatial mapping is to positions of sensors used for the measurements. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising obtaining the measurements using at least one of electroencephalography and magnetoencephalography. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising selecting the plurality of neural functions to be measured based on computer-stored clinical data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more impaired frequencies comprises a plurality of impaired frequencies, and the applying uses the frequencies sequentially in the applied magnetic fields. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more impaired frequencies comprises a plurality of impaired frequencies, and the applying applies the frequencies concurrently in the applied magnetic fields. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 re-measuring measurements for a portion of the plurality of neural functions after at least a portion of the applying;   analyzing differences between the received measurements and the re-measured portion of the measurements; and   adjusting the applying, based on the differences.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the re-measuring is performed during the applying. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining is performed using portions of the frequency and amplitude patterns of neural activity corresponding to neural network components away from hemorrhagically damaged or ischemic brain regions of the stroke patient. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising generating a protocol for the applying based on the determining; wherein the generating uses the determined one or more impaired frequencies, and selects one of more of the amplitude, duration, number, and interval of the applied electromagnetic energy fields. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more attempted stroke patient tasks include one or more tasks selected from the group consisting of: an active physical task, a cognitive task, passive movement of a body part, and sensory input. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable storage medium comprising processor instructions executable to carry out the receiving and determining of  claim 1 , and to control a electromagnetic energy field generator to carry out the applying of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . A method of stroke treatment in a stroke patient, the method comprising applying electromagnetic energy fields at one or more frequencies to components of a neural network of a brain of the stroke patient, including components outside hemorrhagically damaged or ischemic regions of the brain. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising:
 selecting neural functions for monitoring, based on the one or more frequencies;   measuring changes in the selected neural functions, during the applying; and   adjusting the applying, based on the measuring;   wherein the selecting comprises:
 accessing information about frequencies and amplitudes of neural activity produced during the neural functions; 
 comparing the accessed information to the one or more frequencies; and 
 selecting the neural functions, based on the comparing.