Methods For The Identification And Targeting Of Brain Regions And Structures
- Technology Benefits
- Personalized treatment based on a patient’s individual brain anatomyMore specific targeting for brain therapiesIncreased safetyDecreased complications associated with neurosurgical treatments
- Technology Application
- More accurate identification of specific brain regions for electrical brain stimulation therapy to treat motor disorders, such as Parkinson’s, as well as depression, addiction, and obesityIncreased accuracy of other brain therapies or imaging techniques
- Detailed Technology Description
- A physician at UCLA has developed a novel method of locating specific brain regions for more targeted therapies. This method utilizes diffusion tensor imaging MRI to identify afferent and efferent nerve tracts associated with the brain region of interest. This method can improve the placement of electrodes in electrical brain stimulation therapy for the treatment of conditions including Parkinson’s, depression, addiction, and obesity. This technique can also be used to improve the safety and accuracy of drug delivery and ultrasound imaging. Increased precision in brain region identification could increase patient safety and decrease the occurrence of complications linked to neurosurgical treatments.
- Application No.
- 9597007
- Others
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State Of Development
- The method has been validated both by computer simulation and experimental testing
- Future plans include use as a targeting technique for morbid obesity surgery in the hypothalamus
Background
Brain treatments, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS), require the attachment of electrodes to highly specific brain regions. Improper placement of DBS leads could result in seizures, infection, bleeding, and irreversible damage to the brain. Current methods of placement require visualization of anatomical brain features using imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but are often not specific to an individual’s brain anatomy. Further, the differentiation of individual brain regions could be difficult based on visualization of brain features alone.
Additional Technologies by these Inventors
Tech ID/UC Case
27486/2011-033-0
Related Cases
2011-033-0
- *Abstract
-
A UCLA physician has developed a method to identify regions of the brain using Diffusion Tensor Imaging MRI to locate afferent and efferent neural tracts that lead to and from the specific region of interest. This technique will improve the accuracy and safety of brain treatments, such as electrical brain stimulation and ultrasound imaging.
- *IP Issue Date
- Mar 21, 2017
- *Principal Investigator
-
Name: Alejandro Covalin
Department:
Name: Antonio DeSalles
Department:
Name: Antonio DeSalles
Department:
- Country/Region
- USA
