Non-invasive neuromodulation (NINM) for rehabilitation of brain function

摘要

In a patient suffering from neural impairment, stimulation is provided to sensory surfaces of the face and/or neck, or more generally to areas of the body that stimulate the trigeminal nerve, while performing an activity intended to stimulate a brain function to be rehabilitated. The simulation may then be continued after the performance of the activity has ceased. It has been found that the patient's performance of the activity is then improved after stimulation has ceased. Moreover, it tends to improve to a greater extent, and/or for a longer time, when the post-activity stimulation is applied, as compared to when postactivity stimulation is not applied.

主权项

1. A method for non-invasively assisting neurorehabilitation in a patient comprising:
engaging a patient in a cognitive exercise wherein the patient's ability to perform the cognitive exercise is hindered by impairment of the patient's nervous system; and providing intraoral cutaneous stimulation of at least one of the patient's trigeminal nerve or the patient's facial nerve via one or more stimulators situated within the patient's mouth.