DEVICE FOR EMISSION OF INTERMITTENT LIGHT PULSES FOR TREATING MEMORY TROUBLES DEVICE FOR EMISSION OF INTERMITTENT LIGHT PULSES. The present invention is about a device for emission of intermittent light pulses to be used for treating memory troubles. Recent researches have led to believe that memory troubles, affecting people 5 starting from the age of 60-70, are originated by a gradual, inevitable and progressive loss of the contacts between cerebral cortex neurons, said contacts being called synapses in scientific terminology. It is known that the synapses generate an electrical activity In the brain, detectable through an electro-encephalogram (EEG). 10 The electro-encephalogram shows a basic rhythm in an awake adult person in psychosensorial rest conditions that is called α rhythm and that is shown in the electro-encephalogram by an essentially sinusoidal wave. Recent studies performed on the α rhythm have shown a mutual relationship between brain and mind which leads to believe that, among the mechanisms 15 involved in memory processing, i.e. the ability of the brain to store and mutually connect events that occur in succession even after said events are ended, there are the same mechanisms which are responsible of the cerebral rhythm changes. More particularly, the electro-encephalogram analysis in volunteer persons 20 submitted to specific tests, said tests being configured in different ways, involving storage strategies and recalling new information which require long term memories, has led some researchers to demonstrate that particular functions of the explicit (semantic and episodic) memory are accompanied with specific modifications of the electro-encephalogram frequencies. 25 In other words, there is a precise relationship between the specific cognitive functions and the α rhythm frequencies: the lower band of the α rhythm (9,9-7,4 Hz) reflects cognitive functions not related to an objective, i.e. the expectation and attention functions, while the upper band (9,9-12,4 Hz) reflects cognitive processes related to an objective. 30 The neural bases of the memory can be summed up in two general principles, i.e. that the memory comprises different stages and it is localized in different regions of the nervous system. As it is known, memory can be subdivided in implicit and explicit memory, according to the way the required information is stored and recalled, and this 35 involves the intervention of different neuronal circuits.
More particularly, the explicit memory involves the intervention of the medial temporal lobe system, while the implicit memory involves the intervention of different perceptive and reflected channels which also comprise amygdale and cerebellum. The effects of not configured stimulations to activate the electroencephalogram, like for instance the light stimulation, are known. This stimulation has been used up to now to make alterations in the α rhythms that allow to make diagnosis of particular pathologies, like for instance the light-sensitive epilepsy. In recent times, intermittent light stimulation methods have been employed with therapeutic purposes too in some forms of cephalea and menstrual disorders. Recent studies and experiences made by the inventors about the systematic use of photostimulation, especially in the range of 10 Hz, have put in evidence that the great part of the persons submitted to such a kind of stimulation systematically responded to the 10 Hz photostimulation with amplitude and frequency modifications with respect to the basal α rhythm. In other words, during light stimulation, the α waves changed their amplitude and their frequency too, up to reach a frequency substantially equal to the light stimulation frequency. This was more evident according to the features of the basal diagram, for instance at rest and with closed eyes, in particular in aged persons having an initial lack of memory on the behavioural side.
In their experiments, inventors have noted that, if the light stimulation is maintained for a certain time, even with variable frequencies preferably chosen in the range of 7,4 to 12,4 Hz, the α waves, which are modified during the light stimulation, maintain said modification even after that the light stimulation effect has stopped.
In other words, a dragging phenomenon is obtained, said physical phenomenon being transformed into a metabolic phenomenon since the neurones start to be activated.
This is of particular interest and relevance in those persons with the Alzheimer disease, having progressive and more and more serious memory troubles. In such patients, the α rhythm is significantly reduced in amplitude with respect to a healthy person. Furthermore, it has been noted that, while the α rhythm frequency has a well
defined peak in a young and healthy person, for instance of 10 Hz at the age of 20, in aged persons the α frequency peak tends to be fragmented into more peaks always shifted downward, for instance near 7 Hz or 8 Hz. In an aged person, if the dominant peak is for instance of 8 Hz, lower but anyway relevant frequency peaks are present in the electro-encephalographic diagram of the α waves in the range of 8 Hz, for instance 7,5 Hz and 8,3 Hz. In aged and unhealthy persons, especially if at the initial stage of the disease, when submitted to repeated treatments with light stimulations at a frequency variable from 7,4 Hz to 12,4 Hz, it has been noted a significant recovery of the α rhythm amplitude in the electro-encephalogram, corresponding to a sensible recovery of the lost memory and also to a language control recovery. Modifications of verbal and behavioural memory performances have substantially occurred. The best results have been obtained setting the switching on/switching off frequency of the light stimulation equal to the α rhythm peak frequency checked in the person through a preceding electro-encephalogram. In other words, if the α rhythm peak frequency has been checked for instance at 7,5 Hz, a repeated light stimulation at the same switching on/switching off frequency, protracted for 10-15 minutes and repeated every day for several days, gave as a result a stable increase of the α rhythm amplitude in the treated person, with a consequent verbal and behavioural memory recovery effect.
These first clinical results have persuaded the inventors to provide for an improved device for emission of intermittent light pulses suitable for treating memory troubles which is usable for a large number of patients due to its simplicity, cheapness and application flexibility.
The main object of the invention is thus to provide for a device for emission of light pulses, with preset switching on/switching off frequencies, able to treat memory troubles and to significantly modify the α rhythm amplitude in the electro-encephalographic diagram.
Another object is that the device of the invention is very simple, little expensive and feasibly usable by any person, even in the most different environmental conditions.
Still another object of the invention is to provide for a device as mentioned above which is able to prevent, as well as to treat, memory troubles, especially
at the Alzheimer disease onset, and to allow a simple and easy treatment, even at home, for all those persons who want to be submitted to the light stimulation treatment.
All the aforementioned objects, and others better specified in the following description, are attained by a device for emission of intermittent light pulses to be used for treating memory troubles comprising a circuit consisting of:
- at least a direct voltage generator;
- at least a timer suitable for emitting an essentially impulsive voltage wave at one or more prefixed frequencies; - at least a light emitter fed by said essentially impulsive voltage wave;
- a switch;
- a support for said circuit, said circuit being characterized in that said at least a light emitter works with intermittent switching on/switching off at a frequency comprised between 7 and 14 Hz, said emitted light waves interacting with the waves emitted by the brain neuronal activity.
According to an executive embodiment of the invention, the support for the circuit of the device of the invention is housed on a spectacle frame. It is a part of the invention too a spectacle frame which supports the device of the invention and has the front area, generally reserved to the sight, obscured. Advantageously, according to the invention, the device of the invention can be easily used by the person under treatment, since it essentially consists of a pair of obscured spectacles having, instead of the lenses, an electronic device with at least two luminous LEDs disposed in front of the eyeballs when the spectacles are worn.
The obscuration of the spectacles is performed by the support itself of the circuit forming the device and put in place of the lenses. It is evident that such a device is very practical, allowing to perform a treatment, even a preventive treatment, in an extremely easy way, since said device can be used in any moment of the day and in any environmental condition.
According to an executive embodiment of the invention, the device of the invention allows to select the switching on/switching off frequencies of the light sources in a variable range between 7,4 and 12,4 Hz. In such case, the device is of the kind suitable for emitting a series of
intermittent light pulses of different frequencies, each of said frequency being maintained for a prefixed time interval.
For example, it is possible to have a series of pulses at a certain frequency f1 equal to 7,5 Hz, maintained for 5 minutes, another series of pulses at a frequency f2 equal to 10 Hz, maintained for 5 minutes, and still another series of pulses at a frequency f3 equal to 12 Hz, further maintained for 5 minutes.
A treatment of the kind described above can be repeated several times, for instance two or three times a day for 10 or 20 days.
Experimental data have evidenced that, after the constant repetition of such treatments, the electro-encephalogram α rhythm in a patient submitted to said kind of treatment is modified, improving its amplitude and frequency stability.
This α rhythm improvement is combined with both a verbal and behavioural memory recovery.
The device is efficient, especially as a preventive treatment, by operating with a series of preset frequencies emitted according to a predetermined sequence.
On the contrary, if a more incisive result is required, especially on unhealthy persons, it is necessary to perform an electro-encephalogram through which the peak frequency of the cerebral waves basal α rhythm is obtained.
Advantageously, in this case, the device of the invention could be programmed to be switched on/switched off at the peak frequency only which, in any case, is always comprised in the interval between 7,4 and 12,4 Hz and it is maintained every time for a time interval considered to be optimal for the treatment.
Further characteristics of the invention will be better highlighted in the description of preferred executive embodiments of the invention, given in an explanatory but not limiting way and shown in the figures of the annexed drawings, wherein:
- Figure 1 shows a circuit diagram of the device of the invention provided with a timer and a commutator; - Figure 2 shows the circuit of Figure 1 , provided as well with a counter to maintain the intermittency frequencies of the light pulses according to predetermined time intervals;
- Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of the diagram of the device of the invention, in which an integrated circuit is provided having the functions of remotely programmable counter and timer;
- Figure 4 shows a diagram of three frequencies which can be achieved with the device of the invention; and
- Figure 5 shows a spectacle frame provided with the device of the invention. With reference to the aforementioned Figures, and in particular to Figure 1 , one can see that the device for emission of intermittent light pulses of the invention comprises:
- a battery 1 , for example of 3 Volts nickel cadmium type,
- a switch 2,
- a timer 3, - a commutator 4,
- two LED type lights 5, 6.
As one can see from the diagram of Figure 1 , the timer is connected to the LEDs 5, 6 and it is able to properly feed said LEDs with a switching on/switching off intermittent frequency which can be set through the commutator 4.
More particularly, the commutator 4, in a certain selected position, activates the internal circuits of the timer 3, which is a component known per se, like for instance an astable multi-vibrator, enabling said timer to be switched on and switched off with an intermittent frequency, for example 7,4 Hz. When the commutator 4 is activated, even manually, and its position is changed, the connections in the timer 3 pins change too, so that the intermittence frequency to be set in the timer is modified, for instance from 7 to 10 or 12 Hz. In the example of Figure 1, showing a simplified executive embodiment of the device, a counter which sets the activation time of a certain frequency rather than another is not present.
In the example of Figure 2, besides the commutator 4, a counter 7 is present too, actuating for a certain prefixed time interval the commutator 4, which in its turn sets the intermittence frequency emitted by the timer 3. Once the count time t1 is finished, the counter 7 causes the commutator 4 to be switched and the count of another time t2 starts, while the commutator changes its position so that the timer 3 emits a frequency f2 different from f1. The counter can be of sequential type, with preset times, so that it can count, for instance, a time t1 at first, then a time t2 and then another time t3. When each count starts, the current passes from the counter to the
commutator, so that the latter trips and moves forward of one position, in order to activate the timer according to different frequencies ft, f2, f3 respectively. Since the timer feeds the LEDs 5, 6, these will be lighted at the frequency f1 for a time t1, at the frequency 2 for a time t2 and at the frequency f3 for a time t3.
It should be evident that, depending on the timer features, the frequencies can be selected according to discrete steps (for instance from 7,4 Hz up to 12,4 Hz, with increments of 0,5 Hz, or they can vary with continuity). The devices described above and shown in Figures 1 and 2, being able to sequentially emit different frequencies, are particularly suitable for treatments of preventive kind, with the purpose to avoid or to reduce the onset of memory troubles.
Said devices can be advantageously used by persons who have never been submitted to an electro-encephalogram, so that they don't know the α frequency of their own cerebral waves.
It is thus logical, in this case, to use a multi-frequency device, i.e. able to emit more than one frequency, so that the specific α frequency of the person too, although not known, could be stimulated, at least in its neighbourhood. A more advanced solution for the device of the invention is shown in Figure 3, where the counter, the commutator and the timer are replaced by an integrated circuit 8, programmable for instance through a computer 9. The integrated circuit can also consist of a microprocessor. Therefore, through a proper software installed in the computer 9, the integrated circuit 8 can be set so that, according to the patient needs, the device emits light pulses at the peak frequency characteristic of the patient's α diagram. Once the integrated circuit has been programmed, it is able to perform its function, thus it is sufficient to operate the switch 2 in order to start the switching on/switching off sequence according to what has been set in the integrated circuit. The LEDs 5, 6 are consequently activated, with the programmed intermittence frequencies and at the programmed times.
As previously mentioned, since in unhealthy and/or aged persons other lower frequency peaks are present near the peak frequency of the α rhythm, according to the obtained results the frequency of the device could be modified by programming the integrated circuit 8, through the connection cable 91, with
the computer 9 or with an equivalent means, in order to set the frequency at that having a more positive and stable response.
It should be pointed out that the device made according to the diagram of
Figure 3 is a device programmable on the specific α rhythm frequency of the person to be submitted to the treatment.
In other words, said device can be customized according to the needs of every person, being sufficient to program the desired frequency on the integrated circuit 8.
In Figure 4 is shown by way of example the diagram of a possible use of one of the devices of the invention, in which light pulses at the frequency of 7,5 Hz for a time t1 are initially emitted; pulses at 10 Hz for a time t2 and then at
12,4 Hz for a time t3 are subsequently emitted.
In Figure 5 a pair of spectacles supporting the device of the invention is shown.
More particularly, the spectacles 10 comprise the support 11 for the electric circuit of the device of the invention.
Said support is essentially made of an insulating foil applied in place of the lenses and stably connected to the front part of the frame.
The support 11 of the circuit is provided with the battery 12, the switch 13 and the integrated circuit 14 from which the electric connections to feed the LEDs 5, 6 start.
The integrated circuit 14 is programmable through two pins 16, 17 that can be connected to a programming means, like the computer 9.
When the α rhythm frequency of the patient has been established through an electro-encephalographic exam, the integrated circuit is consequently programmed, setting the frequency as well as the duration time of each treatment.
It should be pointed out that, according to performed experiments, the radiating energy of the LEDs should not exceed 200 mJoules, for evident reasons of a possible photo-stress in case of an uncontrolled radiation arises during the treatment.