CAREER: Development of Radio Frequency Non-Invasive Nanosecond Pulse Therapeutic Devices

在全球大流行之前，焦虑和抑郁等精神和神经健康状况已经以惊人的速度增加。现在，根据世界卫生组织(WHO)的数据，大流行后此类疾病的发病率在全球范围内增加了25%-35%，世卫组织呼吁所有国家加强精神卫生服务和支持。这突显了神经疾病更容易获得和侵入性更小的治疗选择的必要性。神经电刺激方法，如经颅磁刺激(TMS)，已被证明在治疗各种神经疾病方面有效。TMS使用磁场感应的短持续时间电流脉冲来刺激大脑。然而，TMS需要稳定的高功率系统，通常在医院环境中可以找到。TMS的治疗计划包括连续三周每天去医院就诊，有时一天内进行多次治疗，这限制了已经在应对抑郁或焦虑症状的患者的可及性，例如社交退缩和睡眠不规律，这些症状扰乱了他们的日常生活。此外，对于农村或低收入人口来说，参加定期的面对面治疗可能并不可行。然而，纳秒电脉冲(NEP)以其高强度和极窄的脉冲宽度而闻名，已成为各种神经疾病的一种有前途的治疗方法。NEP在刺激细胞和神经方面表现出显著的效果，而不会造成伤害，并有可能成为有助于减少就诊需求并大大增加可及性的便携式设备。该项目旨在了解传统NEP的局限性，并找到解决方案，使其适用于较小的设备。该项目将生产一个整合了研究成果的医疗设备原型，扩大患者非侵入性、可获得的神经治疗选择的范围。该项目的K-12推广活动与内华达山脉之旅合作，并在家庭科学之夜和成人项目中使用生物传感器，将通过他们的反馈专业知识加强STEM教育。NEP提供大量的神经调节潜力，能够复制生理刺激用于非侵入性治疗神经疾病。尽管有潜力，但由于穿透深度的限制和人体或动物体内的信号失真，NNP在体内的非侵入性应用中遇到了障碍。这项研究的目的是(1)了解传统NNP的局限性，并找到解决方案，使其适用于更小的设备，(2)解决由于不同解剖差异造成的信号失真问题，以及(3)开发包含上述挑战解决方案的医疗设备原型。利用NNP的潜力，这项研究将使用射频信号来增强穿透，利用深度学习技术进行解剖补偿，并采用更宽的脉冲宽度和MHz脉冲重复频率来降低阈值电压。使用数字产生的RF-NEP可能代表着神经刺激方法的重大创新转变。这种非侵入性方法允许更深入地渗透到动物体内，同时包括满足特定需求的特定波形。将这些创新的解决方案整合到一种新的医疗设备的设计中，说明了这项研究的翻译潜力。该项目期望在神经刺激治疗方法方面有更先进的理论知识和具体、切实的改进，为更广泛的神经科学和神经治疗学领域做出重大贡献。该项目由通信、电路和传感系统(CCSS)计划和既定的激励竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)联合资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Prior to the global pandemic, mental and neurological health conditions such as anxiety and depression were already increasing at alarming rates. Now, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), post pandemic incidence of such conditions has increased by 25-35% worldwide and the WHO is calling for all countries to step up mental health services and support. This highlights the need for more accessible and less invasive treatment options for neurological disorders. Electrical neurostimulation methodologies, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), have proven effective in treating various neurological disorders. TMS stimulates the brain using short-duration pulses of electrical current induced by a magnetic field. However, TMS requires stable high-power systems typically found in hospital settings. TMS treatment plans involve daily hospital visits for three weeks, or sometimes multiple treatments in a single day, which limits accessibility to patients who are already managing depression or anxiety symptoms such as social withdrawal and sleep irregularities that disrupt their everyday routines. Moreover, attending regular in-person treatment sessions may not be feasible for those in rural or low-income demographics. However, nanosecond electrical pulses (NEPs), distinguished by their high intensity and extremely narrow pulse width, have emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for various neurological disorders. NEP has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in stimulating cells and nerves without causing harm and has potential for portable devices that would help reduce the need for hospital visits and greatly increase accessibility. This project seeks to understand the limitations of traditional NEPs and find solutions to adapt them to smaller devices. The project will produce a medical device prototype incorporating the research findings, broadening the range of non-invasive, accessible neurological treatment options for patients. The project's K-12 outreach, in collaboration with Sierra Nevada Journeys and employing biosensors in Family Science Nights and adult programs, will enhance STEM education through their feedback expertise.NEPs offer substantial neuromodulation potential, capable of replicating physiological stimuli for non-invasive treatment of neurological disorders. Despite their potential, NEPs encounter obstacles in non-invasive in-vivo applications due to constraints in penetration depth and signal distortion through human or animal body. The objectives of this study are to (1) understand the limitations of traditional NEPs and find solutions to adapt them to smaller devices, (2) address the issue of signal distortions caused by varying anatomical differences, and (3) develop a medical device prototype that incorporates solutions to the aforementioned challenges. Leveraging the potential of NEPs, the research will employ RF signals for enhanced penetration, utilize deep-learning techniques for anatomical compensation, and incorporate wider pulse widths and MHz pulse repetition rates to lower the threshold voltage. The use of digitally generated RF-NEP could represent a significant innovative shift in neurostimulation methodology. This non-invasive approach allows for deeper penetration into animal bodies while including specific waveforms that satisfy specific needs. The integration of these innovative solutions into the design of a new medical device speaks to the translational potential of this research. This project anticipates advancing theoretical knowledge and a concrete, tangible improvement in neurostimulation treatment methods, contributing significantly to the broader neuroscience and neurological therapeutics field.This project is jointly funded by the Communications, Circuits and Sensing Systems (CCSS) Program and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.