Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Designated organic active ingredient containing – Ester doai
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-31
2001-04-24
Fonda, Kathleen K. (Department: 1623)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Designated organic active ingredient containing
Ester doai
C514S642000, C607S002000, C607S003000, C607S045000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06221908
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to learning systems and, more particularly, to learning systems directed toward improving the ability of a learner's brain to make new networks of nerve connections.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the mechanisms that allow the brain (i.e., the cortex) to selectively improve the neural representations of behaviorally important stimuli while ignoring irrelevant stimuli. Some current neuroscience research indicates that learning is related to the ability of the brain to form new networks of nerve connections, a phenomenon termed herein as “brain plasticity”. The formation of new nerve connections is also referred to herein as brain reorganization. Diffuse neuromodulatory systems may facilitate cortical plasticity by acting as a teacher to mark important stimuli. That is, it is believed that learning may be related to many factors such as, for example, the “behavioral importance” collectively attached by several brain regions in weighing or processing the subject matter to be learned (i.e., the incoming stimuli or activity). In addition, it is believed that learning is also related to how much attention the learner focuses on the incoming stimuli. Thus, it is believed that learners generally must put significant effort into learning and memorizing processes. It is believed that some types of learning disability may be related to an impaired ability to focus attention and/or attach behavioral importance on the incoming stimuli or activity.
The learning and memorizing process can be further affected by injury to the brain caused, for example, by a stroke. Stroke patients often incur lost brain functions such as speech, accurate hearing and movement. However, it has been observed that stroke patients often lack the will to participate vigorously in rehabilitation programs for recovering or relearning brain functions lost due to the stroke. Further, because the stroke damages brain cells, brain resources are more limited or may even have a diminished ability to generate “behavioral importance”, which may contribute to the commonly slow recovery process.
Accordingly, there is a need for a learning system that stimulates brain plasticity with reduced dependence on both behavior importance and the degree of attention on the incoming stimuli.
SUMMARY
In accordance with the present invention, a system for stimulating brain plasticity is provided. In one aspect of the present invention, acetylcholine is released into the learner's brain during the learning process. It is believed that acetylcholine helps the brain in the learning and memorizing process. The greater the release of acetylcholine, the faster and stronger the learning and memory. In addition, it is thought that the nucleus basalis region of the brain releases acetylcholine as a function of the amount of attention paid by the learner and also the degree of “behavioral importance” generated in response to the incoming stimuli. In one embodiment of the present invention, the learners nucleus basalis is electrically stimulated to increase the release of acetylcholine, thereby aiding the learning and memorizing process. The electrical stimulation advantageously reduces the need for the learner to attach “behavioral importance” and to pay close attention on the incoming stimuli or activity to stimulate the release of acetylcholine. In other embodiments, delivery systems such as microinjection, implanted micro release devices or implanted photo-sensitive release devices may be used to release acetylcholine into the brain to aid the learning process.
Thus, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of stimulating brain plasticity that includes the steps of providing acetylcholine in a subject's brain and providing stimulus to the subject substantially coincident with the provision of acetylcholine. In a preferred embodiment electrical stimulation of the subject's nucleus basalis is used to release acetylcholine into the subject's brain. Alternatively, or in addition to electrical stimulation of the subject's nucleus basalis, acetylcholine is released into an artery feeding the subject's brain by a variety of means including microinjection or through a device implanted in the subject's body that time-releases acetylcholine.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method of stimulating brain plasticity that includes the step of electrically stimulating the nucleus basalis of a subject's brain. The electrical stimulation of the nucleus basalis of a subject's brain can be in the form of multiple electrical stimuli. In a preferred embodiment, the electrical stimulation of the subject's nucleus basalis is accompanied by a behaviorally important stimulus. Examples of behaviorally important stimuli include the provision of information that is to be learned, for example auditory or visual information whereby the subject learns to read, speak or ambulate after brain damage.
REFERENCES:
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Kilgard Michael P.
Merzenich Michael M.
Christensen O'Connor Johnson & Kindness PLLC
Fonda Kathleen K.
Scientific Learning Corporation
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