Abstract:
A system for treating neurological conditions by low-frequency time varying electrical stimulation includes an electrical device for applying such low-frequency energy, in a range below approximately 10 Hz, to the patient&#39;s brain tissue. An implantable embodiment applies direct electrical stimulation to electrodes implanted in or on the patient&#39;s brain, while a non-invasive embodiment causes a magnetic field to induce electrical currents in the patient&#39;s brain.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/137,670, filed Apr. 25, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/688,935, filed Apr. 16, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,352,168, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/549,303, filed Aug. 27, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,033,861, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/436,676, filed May 16, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,601,116, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/245,992, filed Sep. 17, 2002, now abandoned, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/652,964, filed Aug. 31, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,138. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Technical Field 
         [0003]    This invention is in the field of devices for the treatment of neurological disorders in human subjects, particularly those disorders that originate in the brain. 
         [0004]    Background 
         [0005]    The current state of the art in treating neurological disorders such as epilepsy or Parkinson&#39;s disease involves either drugs, destructive nigral lesions or the open-loop electrical stimulation of neurological tissue. Drug therapy has been shown to have significant short and long-term side effects and is often ineffective. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,161, Liss describes a continuous closed-loop feedback system which will always feedback part of the brain EEG signal to separate electrodes so that if a large EEG signal occurs it will be fed back in an attempt to cancel out the original signal. The system does not take advantage of recently developed digital signal processing and microcomputer technology by which feedback signals can be activated only when a neurological event occurs, nor does it provide a practical way to recognize and intervene during early stages in the evolution of a neurological event. In addition, the Liss device is not programmable and it does not provide any capability to record EEG signals. Examples of a “neurological event” are the occurrence of an epileptic seizure, a tremor or the occurrence of a migraine aura or migraine headache. A “neurological event” is defined herein as either the precursor of an event such as an epileptic seizure, or the event itself. This concept of detecting an electrical precursor that is a first type of neurological event that occurs some time before the “real” event (i.e. anomalous brain electrical activity or a particular pattern of neural activity associated with clinical symptoms) is an important aspect of the present invention. It has been shown that both epileptic seizures and Parkinson&#39;s tremors have precursors that occur before and can be used to predict the onset of the clinical symptom. It is also very likely that other neurological events such as migraine headaches and depression would have anomalous electrical activity predictive of the onset of clinical symptoms. Methods for prediction of epileptic seizures have been published by Elger and Lehnertz (in Elger, C. E., and Lehnertz, K., “Seizure prediction by non-linear time series analysis of brain electrical activity,” Eur. J. Neurosci. 1998 February; 10(2): 786-9, and Osorio, Frei and Wilkinson (in Osorio, I., et al., “Real-time automated detection and quantitative analysis of seizures and short-term prediction of clinical onset,” Epilepsia 1998 June; 39(6): 615-27. 
         [0006]    Maurer and Sorenson in U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,518 describe a combined internal/external system for electrical stimulation of the body with biphasic pulses but do not describe any means of detecting neurological events. Fischell in U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,527 describes a programmable medication infusion system but does not anticipate its use in response to a detected neurological event. 
         [0007]    More recently, a device has been approved for human use to stimulate the vagus nerve in a continuous fashion with the objective of decreasing the rate of epileptic seizures. Clinical reports on such devices indicate only a modest degree of success in that only 50% of the patients experience a greater than 20% reduction in the rate of epileptic seizures. Another device that has been recently introduced into clinical practice utilizes intermittent or continuous stimulation of the thalamus for the treatment of involuntary motion disorders such as Parkinson&#39;s syndrome. Neither of these two open-loop devices described above is highly effective for the treatment of a neurological disorder such as epilepsy, and neither anticipates the use of decision making in order to optimize a response to terminate the precursor of a neurological event or the neurological event itself; nor does either device allow for the recording of EEG signals. In addition, both known devices use stimulation frequencies above 10 Hz, which for the reasons set forth in detail below, are not optimal. 
         [0008]    Fischell et al in U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,449, which is incorporated herein by reference, teaches a fully implantable neurostimulator capable of responsive treatment of neurological disorders. However, Fischell does not discuss in detail the advantageous use of low frequency stimulation as a means of inhibiting epiliptiform activity. 
         [0009]    It is well known that slow wave potentials in the brain are often inhibitory in nature yet all known stimulation attempts to treat epilepsy in humans have used relatively high frequency stimulation, in most cases greater than 20 Hz. These higher frequencies, while effective for a brain mapping type procedure, have significant potential to induce epileptogenic activity. In fact, Hallett in “Transcranial magnetic stimulation and the human brain,” Nature, Vol. 406, 13 Jul. 2000, states that while “rapid repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), at frequencies of 5 Hz and higher, will transiently enhance motor excitability . . . slow rTMS, at 1 Hz will transiently depress excitability.” 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    There is good evidence that slow wave activity is inhibitory in the central nervous system of man (Staton, R. D. et al., “The electroencephalographic pattern during electroconvulsive therapy: V. Observations on the origins of phase III delta energy and the mechanism of action of ECT,” Clin. Electroencephalogr. 1988 October; 19(4): 176-198 and animals (Buzsaki, G. et al., “Depth profiles of hippocampal rhythmic slow activity (‘theta rhythm’) depend on behaviour,” Electroencephalogr. Clin. Neurophysiol. 1985 July; 61(1): 77-78) including such stimulation applied to the hippocampus (Leung, L. S. et al., “Theta-frequency resonance in hippocampal CAI neurons in vitro demonstrated by sinusoidal current injection,” J. Neurophysiol. 1998 March; 79(3): 1592-6). These slow waves may be at theta frequencies (4 to 7 Hz—Buzsaki et al. 1985), delta frequencies (1 to 3 Hz—Staton et al. 1988), or even at less than 1 Hz (Contreras, D. et al., “Cellular basis of EEG slow rhythms: a study of dynamic corticothalamic relationships,” J. Neurosci. 1995 January; 15(1 Pt 2): 604-22). Paatta et al. (in “Control of chronic experimental focal epilepsy by feedback caudatum stimulation,” Epilepsia 1983 August; 24(4): 444-54) describe successful ictal spike depression by 5 Hz stimulation of the caudate nucleus (CN) in cat brains. The article also states that stimulation of the thalamus, mesencephalic reticular formation or hypothalamus was not effective. Finally, Hallett (in “Transcranial magnetic stimulation and the human brain,” Nature 2000; 406 (July 13): 147-150) discusses the inhibitory effects of low frequency pulsing from a transcranial magnetic stimulator. 
         [0011]    The present invention includes transcranial stimulation, or direct brain stimulation from multiple electrodes, in either an open or closed-loop system for the treatment of certain neurological disorders such as epilepsy, migraine headaches and Parkinson&#39;s disease. A purpose of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of all known devices for the treatment of such disorders. Specifically, the present invention utilizes slow wave potentials (low frequency stimulation in a range of approximately 1 to 10 Hz) to prevent or abort a neurological event. 
         [0012]    One embodiment of the present invention envisions a multiplicity of brain electrodes placed either within the brain, on the surface of the brain itself, or on the dura mater that surrounds the brain. Some or all of these brain electrodes may be used to directly detect an abnormal neurological event such as an epileptic seizure, or they may be used to detect a pattern of electrical activity that precedes or accompanies an abnormal neurological event. A stimulation signal can also be applied to any one, several, or all elements of such an electrode array. The stimulation signals sent to each electrode may be identical or they may be programmed to differ in amplitude, frequency, waveform, phase and time duration. It is also envisioned that sensing electrodes may be entirely separate from the electrodes used for responsive stimulation. 
         [0013]    It is also envisioned that appropriate selection (i.e., location) of electrode sites can be used to enhance the reliability for detection and termination of a neurological event. Thus, the present invention envisions enhancement of detection by the use of the spatial domain as it applies to the positioning of detection and treatment electrodes. 
         [0014]    A specific capability of this system is to provide electrical stimulation to a specific portion of the brain as the means of stopping a neurological event. It is believed that the earliest possible detection of a seizure and treatment of aberrant electrical activity from an epileptic focus has the highest probability of aborting the occurrence of a full seizure. It is envisioned that either through specific placement of treatment electrodes or by adjusting the phase of signals applied to an array of electrodes, stimulation can be directed to the locations(s) within the brain that offer the highest probability of stopping the seizure. Detection of an abnormal neurological event would allow detection of specific but apparently normal patterns of electrical activity, which are reliable producers of the abnormal event; stimulation during the appearance of such patterns may prevent the occurrence of the event. 
         [0015]    A novel aspect of a preferred embodiment of this invention is that the entire implantable portion of this system for treating neurological disorders is implanted under the patient&#39;s scalp or intracranially. Such placement will either have the device located between the scalp and the cranium or within a hole in the cranium. Because of size constraints, the intracranial location is the preferred embodiment. 
         [0016]    The implantable portion of the system includes: (1) electrodes that lie in close proximity to or actually within the brain, (2) a control module that contains a battery and all the electronics for sensing, recording and controlling brain activity, (3) electrically conducting wires that connect the control module to the electrodes, (4) a buzzer providing an acoustic signal or electrical “tickle” indicating that a neurological event has been detected, and (5) an input-output wire coil (or antenna) used for communication of the implanted system with any and all external equipment. The battery that provides power for the system and an electronics module are both contained within a metal shell that lies, in one embodiment, under the patient&#39;s scalp. The metal shell, which contains the electronics module and the battery collectively, forms the control module. 
         [0017]    All electrodes connect by way of electrically conducting wires to electrical terminals that are formed into the metal shell. The electronics module is electrically joined to the brain electrodes by way of the shell&#39;s electrical terminals, which are electrically joined to the wires that connect to the brain electrodes. 
         [0018]    An important aspect of the preferred embodiment of this device is the fact that the shell containing the electronics module and the battery, i.e. the control module, is to be placed in the cranium of the skull at a place where a significant volume of bone is removed. By placing the entire system within the cranium, (as opposed to having some wires extending into or through the patient&#39;s neck to a control module in the chest) the probability of wire breakage due to repeated wire bending is significantly reduced. However, the present invention also envisions the placement in the chest or abdomen of a control module if a large battery or a large volume electronics module dictates such a large size for the control module that it cannot be conveniently placed within the cranium. Such a thoracic or abdominal placement of a control module would typically require wires to be run through the patient&#39;s neck. 
         [0019]    The present invention also envisions the utilization of an intracranial system for the treatment of certain diseases without placing wires through the neck. Specifically, an alternative embodiment of the invention envisions the use of electrodes in or on the brain with an intracranial control module used in conjunction with a remote sensor/actuator device implanted elsewhere in the patient&#39;s body. For example, blood pressure could be sensed with a threshold or, for example, 150 mm Hg, and if that pressure is exceeded, a signal transmitted by electrical conduction through the body from the remote sensor/actuator device could be received at the control module, which would initiate brain stimulation in such a way as to reduce the blood pressure. Conversely, if the brain perceives pain and generates a corresponding signal detectable by the intracranial control module, a signal could be sent by electrical conduction through the body to the remote sensor/actuator device, which would provide responsive electrical stimulation to locally stimulate a nerve, thereby reducing the perception of that pain. In still another embodiment, if a precursor of an epileptic seizure is detected, the remote sensor/actuator could be used to electrically stimulate one or both vagis nerves so as to stop the epileptic seizure from occurring. Such a remote device could be located in the trunk of the patient&#39;s body. In an embodiment of the invention, a remote sensor/actuator may be used to deliver instantaneous, intravenous, intraperitoneal, subdural or intraventricular (of the brain) therapeutic chemicals, including medication, neurotransmitters and ionic substances, alone or in conjunction with electrical stimulation. Such a remote sensor/actuator is disclosed in the above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,449 by Fischell et al. 
         [0020]    It is also envisioned the ideal stimulation to prevent or abort a neurological event has a low frequency (e.g., 1 to 8 Hz) that would resemble slow wave inhibitory potentials and be significantly less likely to induce epileptiform activity. In one embodiment of the invention, the stimulation waveform is substantially sinusoidal and has minimal higher-order harmonics, and hence little energy above the fundamental frequency. In an alternative embodiment, the low frequency stimulation comprises a sequence of short duration biphasic pulses having a repetition rate of less than about ten pulses per second (10 Hz). Such stimulation could be applied to the caudate nucleus or other structures of the brain, including the hippocampus. As patients suffering from Parkinson&#39;s have an extremely low incidence of epilepsy and one manifestation of Parkinson&#39;s is characterized by a 5 Hz electrical oscillation that begins in the Thalamus, it is conceived that low frequency stimulation of the Thalamus could, in fact, be inhibitory to epileptiform activity. Such stimulation could be responsive to the detection of a precursor to a clinical seizure or the epileptiform activity from the seizure itself. Alternately, periodic slow wave stimulation applied without detection could prevent the brain from generating seizure activity. Although epilepsy is currently believed to be the most applicable use of such slow wave stimulation, it could also be successful for migraines, pain, tremor, Parkinson&#39;s, depression or other neurological disorders. 
         [0021]    It is also envisioned that while the standard treatment would have a constant amplitude for the duration of the low frequency stimulation, it may be advantageous to have the amplitude begin high and decrease over the duration, begin low and increase over the duration, or vary according to any desired treatment plan. The typical duration of low frequency stimulation that would be used to stop a neurological event would be between 100 ms and 10 seconds. 
         [0022]    Another embodiment of the present invention that would be significantly less invasive involves the use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) from an external coil TMS stimulator. Such a device could be incorporated into a bicycle type helmet and could be used at the time a pre-event aura is sensed by the patient. Alternately, such an external system could be used in a repetitive or continuous mode for patients with serious disorders who often wear protective helmets. A TMS device could be extremely effective if it is pulsed on and off at frequencies below 10 Hz. 
         [0023]    Thus it is an object of this invention to provide appropriate slow wave stimulation of the human brain in response to a detected neurological event in order to cause the cessation of that neurological event. The pattern and frequency of stimulation can be modified to provide optimal control of the unwanted neurological event in each patient. 
         [0024]    Another object of this invention is to use periodic slow wave stimulation of the brain to treat neurological disorders. 
         [0025]    Another object of the invention is to use continuous slow wave stimulation of the brain to treat neurological disorders. 
         [0026]    Still another object of this invention is to have a system of electrodes connected by wires to a control module, the entire system being placed under the scalp or intracranially, and being substantially contained within an opening in the cranium. 
         [0027]    Still another object of this system is to have essentially no flexure of interconnecting wires so as to enhance system reliability. 
         [0028]    These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to a person of ordinary skill in this art upon careful reading of the detailed description of this invention including the drawings as presented herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0029]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a human head showing the configuration of an implantable system for the treatment of neurological disorders as it would be situated in the human skull. 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the implanted and external portions of the system. 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  is a cross section of an embodiment of the present invention showing a magnetic depolarizer system within a helmet on the head of a patient. 
           [0032]      FIG. 4A  is a longitudinal cross section of the magnetic depolarizer. 
           [0033]      FIG. 4B  is a top view of the magnetic depolarizer. 
           [0034]      FIG. 5  is a simplified circuit diagram of the main components of a magnetic depolarizer system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0035]      FIG. 1  illustrates the configuration of an implantable system  10  for the treatment of neurological disorders as it would be situated under the scalp of a human head  9 , the system including a control module  20 , electrodes  15 A,  15 B,  15 C,  15 N and  16  with wires  17 A,  17 B,  17 C,  17 N and  18  connected through a connector  8  to the control module  20 . It is envisioned that the control module  20  is permanently implanted into the top of the patient&#39;s skull in a location where the skull is fairly thick. It is also envisioned that the control module  20  could be located in the trunk of the patient&#39;s body like a heart pacemaker with the connecting wires being run through the patient&#39;s neck, under the patient&#39;s skin or otherwise. Each of the electrodes  15 A,  15 B,  15 C,  15 N and  16  would be placed under the cranium and above the dura mater (i.e., placed epidurally) or placed deep into the brain. The connecting wires  17 A,  17 B,  17 C,  17 N and  18  would be in from the control module  20  underneath the scalp and then be connected to the electrodes placed beneath the patient&#39;s cranium. Although  FIG. 1  shows only four active electrodes  15 A,  15 B,  15 C,  15 N with connecting wires  17 A,  17 B,  17 C,  17 N, more than four active electrodes with connecting wires may be used with the present invention. The electrode  16  (having the connecting wire  18 ) could be considered a common or indifferent electrode. 
         [0036]    Throughout the detailed description of the present invention, the terminology “the electrodes  15 A through  15 N” is meant to include all electrodes  15 A,  15 B,  15 C, . . . to  15 N, inclusive, where N may be any integer greater than or equal to 1. Similar terminology using the words “through” or “to” for other groups of objects (i.e., wires  17 A through  17 N) will have a similar inclusive meaning. 
         [0037]    Throughout  FIGS. 1 through 5 , inclusive, lines connecting boxes on block diagrams or on software flow charts will each be labeled with an element number. Lines without arrows between boxes or other elements shall indicate a single wire. Lines with arrows connecting boxes or other elements are used to represent any of the following: 
         [0038]    1. A physical connection, namely a wire or group of wires (data bus) over which analog or digital signals may be sent. 
         [0039]    2. A data stream sent from one hardware element to another. Data streams include messages, analog or digital signals, commands, EEG information, and software downloads to change system operation and parameters. 
         [0040]    3. A transfer of information between software modules. Such transfers include software subroutine calls with and without the passing of parameters, and the reading and writing of memory locations. 
         [0041]    In each case, the descriptive text herein will indicate each specific use of a line with an arrow. 
         [0042]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the implantable system  10  and the external equipment  11 . The wires  17 A through  17 N from the electrodes  15 A through  15 N, and the wire  18  from the common electrode  16 , are shown connected to both an event detection sub-system  30  and a stimulation sub-system  40 . In one embodiment of the invention, it is also envisioned to use the case of the control module  20  of  FIG. 1  as the common (or indifferent) electrode  16 . The wires  17 A through  17 N carry EEG signals  21 A through  21 N from the electrodes  15 A through  15 N to the event detection sub-system  30 . The electrodes  15 A through  15 N can be energized by the stimulation sub-system  40  via the wires  17 A through  17 N to electrically stimulate the patient&#39;s brain using the stimulation signals  412 A through  412 N respectively. Although the electrodes  15 A through  15 N and  16  shown here are connected to both the event detection sub-system  30  and the stimulation sub-system  40 , it should be apparent that a separate set of electrodes and associated wires could be used with each sub-system. Furthermore, it is envisioned that any one or more of the electrodes  15 A through  15 N could be electrically connected (i.e., shorted) to the electrode  16  or to each other. This would be accomplished by appropriate switching circuitry in the stimulation sub-system  40 . 
         [0043]    The event detection sub-system  30  receives the EEG signals  21 A through  21 N (referenced to a system ground  19  connected to the wire  18  from the common electrode  16 ) and processes them to identify neurological events such as an epileptic seizure or its precursor. A central processing system  50  with a central processor  51  and memory  55  acts to control and coordinate all functions of the implantable system  10 . A first interconnection  52  is used to transmit programming parameters and instructions to the event detection sub-system  30  from the central processing system  50 . A second interconnection  53  is used to transmit signals to the central processing system  50  identifying the detection of a neurological event by the event detection sub-system  30 . The second interconnection  53  is also used to transmit EEG and other related data for storage in the memory  55 . 
         [0044]    When an event is detected by the event detection sub-system  30  (by processing such as that disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,449 to Fischell, et al., referenced above), the central processor  51  can command the stimulation sub-system  40  via a third interconnection  54  to transmit electrical signals to any one or more of the electrodes  15 A through  15 N via the wires  17 A through  17 N. It is anticipated that, if appropriate, electrical signals  412 A to  412 N, inclusive, are transmitted to certain locations in or near the brain, thereby aborting the normal progression of an epileptic seizure. It may also be necessary for the stimulation sub-system  40  to temporarily disable the event detection sub-system  30  via a fourth interconnection  29  when stimulation is imminent so that the stimulation signals are not inadvertently interpreted as a neurological event by the event detection sub-system  30 . 
         [0045]    The stimulation sub-system  40  may also be engaged to perform continuous or periodic stimulation to the brain electrodes  15 A through  15 N, inclusive. In one embodiment of the invention, electrical stimulation from the stimulation sub-system  40  can include any of a wide range of frequencies from approximately 2 Hz to approximately 200 Hz. Details of a signal generator capable of generating waveforms over such a frequency range are well known in the art of electronics design. In connection with the invention, it is, however, highly desirable to use stimulation at frequencies below 10 Hz. In particular, 5 Hz stimulation has been shown to be inhibitory to ictal spikes in cat brains, and it is believed to be similarly effective in human patients. It is also known to be less likely for low frequency stimulation to induce epileptiform activity. 
         [0046]    In one embodiment of the invention, the low-frequency stimulation applied by an apparatus according to the invention comprises a substantially sinusoidal waveform having little or no energy in higher-frequency harmonics. 
         [0047]    A power supply  90  provides power to each component of the system  10 . Power supplies for comparable implantable devices such as heart pacemakers and heart defibrillators are well known in the art of implantable electronic devices. Such a power supply typically utilizes a primary (non-rechargeable) storage battery with an associated d-c to d-c converter to obtain any voltages required for the implantable system  10 . However, it should be understood that in an alternative embodiment of the invention, the power supply could use a rechargeable battery that is charged by means of a coil of wire in the control module  20  that receives energy by magnetic induction from an external coil that is placed outside the patient but in close proximity to the control module  20 . The implanted coil of wire could also be located remotely from control module  20  but joined to it by electrical wires. Such technology is well known from the rechargeable cardiac pacemaker. Furthermore, the same pair of coils of wire could be used to provide power to the implanted system  10  when it is desired to read out stored telemetry or reprogram some portion of the implanted system  10 . 
         [0048]    The central processing system  50  is connected to a data communication sub-system  60 , thereby allowing data stored in the memory  55  to be retrieved by the patient&#39;s physician via a wireless communication link  72 . An external data interface  70  can be directly connected to the physician&#39;s workstation  80  via a traditional serial data connection  74  (such as an RS-232 interface). Alternately, the serial connection may be made trans-telephonically, via modems  85  and  750  and a phone line  75  from the patient&#39;s home to the physician&#39;s workstation  80 . Software in the computer section of the physician&#39;s workstation  80  allows the physician to read out a history of events detected by the implantable system  10 , including EEG information before, during and after each event, as well as specific information relating to the detection of the event, such as the time evolving energy spectrum of the patient&#39;s ECG. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the physician&#39;s workstation  80  also allows the physician to specify or alter any programmable parameters of the implantable system  10 . 
         [0049]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a buzzer  95  connected to the central processor  51  via a link  92  can be used to notify the patient that a neurological event has occurred, the implanted system  10  is about to deliver stimulation, or that the implanted system  10  is not functioning properly. In alternative embodiments, the buzzer could provide a mechanical vibration (typically an acoustic signal) or an electrical stimulation “tickle,” either of which could be perceived by the patient. By placing the buzzer  95  near the ear and on the top of, below, or within a burr hole in the cranium, an acoustic signal emitted by the buzzer  95  would be transmitted via bone conduction and detectable by the patient&#39;s ear. This sound by itself can be an automatic means for stopping an epileptic seizure. 
         [0050]    A real time clock  91  is used for timing and synchronizing various portions of the implanted system  10  and also to enable the system to provide the exact date and time corresponding to each neurological event that is detected by the implantable system  10  and recorded in the memory  55 . A fifth interconnection  96  is used to send data from the central processor  51  to the real time clock  91  in order to set the correct date and time in the clock  91 . 
         [0051]    The various interconnections between sub-systems (e.g., the illustrated interconnections  29 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54 ,  56 ,  57 ,  92 ,  93  and  96 ) may be either analog or digital, single wire or multiple wires (a “data bus”). 
         [0052]    In an embodiment of the invention, the operation of the system  10  of  FIG. 2  for detecting and treating a neurological event such as an epileptic seizure would typically be as follows: 
         [0053]    1. The event detection sub-system  30  continuously processes the EEG signals  21 A through  21 N carried by the wires  17 A through  17 N from the N electrodes  15 A through  15 N. 
         [0054]    2. When an event is detected, the event detection sub-system  30  notifies the central processor  51  via the second interconnection  53  that an event has occurred. 
         [0055]    3. The central processor  51  then triggers the stimulation sub-system  40  via the third interconnection  54  to electrically stimulate the patient&#39;s brain with low frequency electrical signals in order to stop the neurological event, using any one, several or all of the electrodes  15 A through  15 N. 
         [0056]    4. The stimulation sub-system  40  also sends a signal via the fourth interconnection  29  to the event detection sub-system  30  to disable event detection during stimulation to avoid an undesired input into the event detection sub-system  30 . 
         [0057]    5. The central processor system  50  will store EEG signals and event related data received from the event detection sub-system  30  via the second interconnection  53  over a time from X minutes before the event to Y minutes after the event for later analysis by the patient&#39;s physician. The value of X and Y may be set from as little as approximately 0.1 minutes to as long as approximately 30 minutes. 
         [0058]    6. The central processor  51  may generate a “buzz” to notify the patient that an event has occurred by sending a signal via the link  92  to the buzzer  95 . 
         [0059]    An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 3 , which illustrates the head of a patient showing a cross section of a non-invasive transcranial magnetic depolarizer system  100  as it would be contained within a helmet  111  of the type used by bicycle riders. The magnetic depolarizer system  100  consists of a magnetic depolarizer coil assembly  112 , a battery  114 , electronic circuitry  115 , a recharging receptacle  116  and interconnecting wires  117 . The magnetic depolarizer system  100  is contained within the helmet  111  by means of an elastic support  113  that passes between a front support  111 A and a rear support  111 B. The purpose of the elastic support  113  is to keep the magnetic depolarizer coil  112  in comparatively tight contact with the patient&#39;s head and at specific location relative to the patent&#39;s cerebral cortex. 
         [0060]      FIG. 4A  is a longitudinal cross section of the magnetic depolarizer  112  of  FIG. 3 . The magnetic depolarizer coil assembly  112  consists of a first coil  121  placed into a figure-eight configuration with a second coil  122 . The two coils  121  and  122  are electrically connected in series in such a way as to create north magnetic poles  121 A and  122 A in essentially opposite directions when electric current is flowing through the coils  121  and  122 . This orientation of coils  121  and  122  can produce a comparatively strong magnetic field onto the cortex of the brain for a distance of a few centimeters beneath the cranium. If the magnetic field changes rapidly in time, it produces an electric current in the brain that can cause excited neurons to be depolarized. Ideally, slow TMS, at 1 to 5 Hz, will transiently depress excitability. In an embodiment of the invention, the intensity of the magnetic field at the surface of the brain should be between 0.1 and 10 Tesla. It is therefore an object of the present invention to use a device such as shown in  FIG. 3  pulsed at a slow rate such as 1 or 2 Hz as an external means for treating a neurological disorder; preferably, this frequency is set and evaluated by the patient&#39;s physician. Such a device could be worn all the time for chronic epileptics where periodic slow stimulation would act to keep the focal region in a depressed condition, thus preventing a hyperexcited state associated with an epileptic seizure. For patients exhibiting an aura, the helmet could be put on as needed. 
         [0061]    It should also be understood that the patient could use on or more elastic bands (without a helmet) to place the magnetic depolarizer coil assembly  112  at an appropriate location onto his or her head. 
         [0062]      FIG. 4B  is a top view of the magnetic depolarizer coil assembly  112  showing as dotted lines the outline of the coils  121  and  122 . In both  FIGS. 3A and 3B , it is shown that the coils  121  and  122  could be encapsulated into a plastic housing  125 . Furthermore,  FIG. 3A  shows a magnetic core  123  in the coil  121  and a separate magnetic core  124  in the coil  122 . These cores  123  and  124  are not required for the device to perform its intended purpose of generating a depolarizing electric current within the cerebral cortex, but their presence facilitates the generation of a high-intensity magnetic field in the brain at a lower level of electric current in the coils  121  and  122 . To be effective at the high frequency of the magnetic pulses that are used to stimulate the cortex, the cores  123  and  124  would typically be formed from powdered iron or equivalent ferromagnetic material that has low eddy current and hysteresis losses. 
         [0063]    Although  FIGS. 4A and 4B  show a race-track, figure eight type of design for the magnetic depolarizer coil assembly  112 , it should be understood that a simple cylindrical coil (and other shaped coils as well) with or without a ferromagnetic core could be used to generate the desired time-varying magnetic field. 
         [0064]      FIG. 5  is a simplified electrical diagram of the magnetic depolarizer system  100 . The rechargeable battery  114  can be recharged through the receptacle  116  by receiving a plug from a conventional AC adapter (not shown) that connects to a-c line voltage (e.g., 115 volts) and delivers an appropriate d-c voltage to recharge the rechargeable battery  114 . When the patient is experiencing an aura of a migraine headache or other symptoms of a neurological disorder, lie or she can throw the ON-OFF switch  129  to the ON position. That would cause the d-c to d-c converter  130  to activate and generate a high voltage for rapidly charging the capacitor  126 . When the control circuitry  128  senses that the appropriate voltage has been reached, it moves the switch  127  from position A to position B thus discharging the capacitor  126  through the coils  121  and  122  of the magnetic depolarizer  112 . As previously described, the coils  121  and  122  could have air cores or they could use magnetically permeable cores  123  and  124 . The control circuitry  128  can be used to set the repetition rate for causing magnetic pulses to be delivered. For example, a pulse from the capacitor might last for 70 microseconds and could be repeated at the slow frequency rates between approximately 0.1 and 10 Hz. A frequency of 1 Hz has been shown to be effective in depolarizing brain neurons and may be ideal for some patients. However, other patients might find other repetition rates to be more effective. It is even possible that a single magnetic pulse having a time duration between 10 and 1,000 microseconds could be used to stop an aura, thereby preventing the occurrence of a neurological event. 
         [0065]    In an embodiment of the invention, the TMS administered through a non-invasive magnetic depolarizer system according to the invention comprises a low-frequency signal (between approximately 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz) modulated, via amplitude modulation or frequency modulation, onto a carrier frequency on the order of 100 Hz. It should be recognized that the carrier frequency given here is considered representative of a beneficial and advantageous carrier signal, and that various other carrier frequencies and modulation schemes are possible. Various waveforms are also possible for both the TMS waveform and the carrier waveform, including the substantially sinusoidal wave described above. Circuits capable of generating such stimulus signals are well known to practitioners skilled in the art of electronic circuit design. 
         [0066]    Although  FIGS. 3 and 5  show a battery operated magnetic depolarizer system  100 , the system  100  could be operated by plugging into a receptacle at (typically) 115 or 230 volts a-c. Such a system might or might not use a battery as part of its circuitry. 
         [0067]    Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.