Description of
Preferred Embodiments: |
The apparatus for the treatment of
neuropsychic disorders comprises, in accordance with the present
invention, source I through 4 (FIGS I and 2) of light radiation, sound
radiation and VHF electromagnetic field radiation, heat radiation
respectively, wherein light pulses, sound pulses, VHF electromagnetic
pulses and heat radiation act upon the central nervous system of a patient
(not shown in the drawing). The apparatus also includes control unit 5
which is electrically connected with said sources I through 4 and controls
the same so as to enable them to send to the central nervous system
simultaneous light radiation pulses, sound radiation pulses, heat
radiation pulses and VHF electromagnetic field radiation pulses at an
assigned pulse repetition rate thereby causing a state of inhibition in
the patient under treatment. The sources I
through 4 are oriented in respect of the patient as follows:
the light radiation source I is placed at the
level of the patient's eyes at a distance of 40 to 50 cm therefrom;
the sound radiation source 2 is placed in the
proximity of the patient under treatment at a distance of 40 to 50 cm him;
the VHF electromagnetic field radiation source
3 is placed in the immediate proximity of the patient's ganglia,
preferably at the level of carotid sinuses, 3 to 4 cm away from the
patient's skin surface, as is the case with the present apparatus;
the heat radiation source 4 is also placed
close to the patient's skin surface, i.e., in the immediate proximity of
the face skin surface.
The sources I and 2 of
light radiation and sound radiation, respectively, provide for an adequate
and monotonous action thereof upon the visual and auditory analyzers.
According to the first embodiment of the
apparatus for the treatment of neuropsychic and somatic disorders (FIG.I)
the control unit 5 is a chopper with a cam mechanism 6 and contacts 7
through I0. The cams of the cam mechanism 6 are rotated by an electric
motor II fed from a power supply unit, which is mains supply in this
specific case. The electric motor II makes 60 r.p.m. thereby providing for
an assigned pulse repetion rate of sixty pulses per minute of light
radiation pulses, sound radiation pulses, VHF electromagnetic field
radiation pulses and heat radiation pulses.
Light radiation source I is an incandescent
lamp, blue in colour, which is electrically connected with a secondary
winding I4 of a transformer I5 through a resistor I2 which serves to
control the intensity of light radiation, contacts 7 of the vibrator and a
switch I3, the transformer I5 being in turn electrically connected with
the a.c. mains.
Sound radiation source 2 is a
small-size loudspeaker I6 which is electrically connected with another
secondary winding 21 of the transformer I5 through a diode I7, variable
resistor I8, constant resistor I9, contacts 8 of the vibrator and switch
20. The sound radiation source provides for an imitation of rain drop
noise. Besides, it can be employed to imitate the noise of the surf.
The VHF electromagnetic field radiation
sources 3 is a push-pull oscillator 22 with an inductance coil 23 and
resistor 24. Electrodes 25 make the load of said oscillator 22. The VHF
electromagnetic field source is fitted with a switch 26 and controlled by
the contacts 10 of the chopper.
The heat
radiation source 4 is a hot spiral wire 27 which is surrounded by a screen
28 made of thermal insulator. The heat flow from the hot wire is removed
by means of a blower 29 rotated by an electric motor 30. The heat
radiation 4 is controlled by a switch 31 via the contacts 9 of the
vibrator.
The present device is equipped with
a common mains switch 32. The sources I, 2 and 4 of light radiation, sound
radiation and heat radiation, respectively, are mounted in the same casing
(not shown in the drawing).
According to the
second embodiment of the present apparatus the control unit 5 is an
electronic timer made of cold cathode thyratron 33 with an electromagnetic
relay 34, potentiometer 35 and resistor 36 in the plate circuit thereof.
The electronic timer also includes a capacitor 37 and a resistor 38. The
electronic timer has contacts 39 through 42. The potentiometer 35 controls
the assigned pulses repetition rate of VHF electromagnetic field
radiation, light radiation, sound radiation and heat radiation within the
10 to 100 pulses per second range, depending upon the patient's individual
features.
The light radiation source I
includes two incandescent lamps 43 and 44, green in colour, which are
installed symmetrically in respect of the patient's sagittal sinus plane,
at the eye level. This position provides for a better therapeutic effect
because the patient is no longer subject to light beam convergence action
whenever use is made of the Paurquignet effect. The light radiation
intensity is controlled by the resistor 12. The light source I is equipped
with a signal lamp 45.
The sound radiation
source 2 is not substantially different from that in the first embodyment
as described above. The difference between them consists in the presence
of a capacitor 46. The sound radiation source 2 is equipped with a signal
lamp 47.
The VHF electromagnetic field source
is the same as that of the first embodiment, with a signal lamp 48 added.
The heat radiation source 4 is the same as
that of the first embodiment but the blower is not shown in FIG.2.
The light radiation source I is electrically
connected with a bridge-type d.c. power supply unit 50 through a resistor
12, switch 49 and contacts 39 of the electronic timer.
The sound radiation source 2 is electrically
connected with the d.c. power supply unit 50 through a switch 51 and
contacts 40 of the electronic timer.
The VHF
electromagnetic field source 3 is equipped with a switch 52.
The hot spiral wire 27 of the heat radiation
source 4 is fed from the mains through a switch 53, while the electric
motor 30 of the blower 29 is fed from the d.c. power supply unit 50 via a
variable resistor 54, switch 55 and contacts 42 of the electronic timer.
In accordance with the second embodiment of
the present apparatus it can be switched on and off by means of the mains
switch 56.
The principle of operation of the
apparatus according to the first embodiments as follows.
The patient is either put to bed or seated in
a deep arm-chair. The apparatus is moved to the head of said bed or chair.
The electrodes 25 of the VHF electromagnetic field source are mounted at
the level of carotid sinuses 3 to 4 centimetres away from the surfice of
the neck skin.
The casing, with the sources I,
2 and 4 of light radiation, sound radiation and heat radiation mounted
therein, is placed above the patient's head at a distance from 40 to 50
centimetres from his face. The apparatus is switched on by means of the
mains switch 32. The switches 13, 20, 26 and 31 are used to turn on the
sources I through 4 of light radiation, sound radiation, VHF
electromagnetic field radiation and heat radiation.
Due to this procedure the patient's receptors
are simultaneously acted upon by 60 p/min pulses of blue light radiation,
sound radiation which is made similar to the rain drop noise, VHF
electromagnetic field radiation as well as by heat radiation, all these
having an effect on the retina, on the auditory sensory endings, carotide
sensory ganglia and thermal receptors in the face skin, respectively.
A simultaneous transmission of the pulses and
heat radiation is due to contacts 7 through 10 of the vibrator. The length
of the pulse effect added to that of heat radiation as obtained by means
of the cam mechanism 6 amounts to 15× 10-2 sec.
The nerve pulses due to the action by stimuli,
such as pulses of light radiation, sound radiation, VHF electromagnetic
pulse radiation, as well as heat radiation, are transmitted to the
thalamus opticus (sensory collector) via sensory nerve filament and
sympathetic nerve trunk.
The simultaneous
arrival of brain wave impulses at the thalamus opticus provides for an
intensified rhythmic activity of its neural formations due to the
interference effect. The rhythm of superimposed stimuli as then
synchronized with the activities of the thalamus opticus neural formations
(external synchronization). The rhythm as assigned by the apparatus is
adopted by the subcortical neural formations being transmitted from the
thalamus opticus to the subcortical fields of the visual, auditory and
cutaneous analyzers. In the appropriate cortical centres of visual,
auditory, and cutaneous analyzers. In the appropriate cortical centres of
visual analysers the mono-tonous pulses cause focuses of inhibition to be
formed which would intensify in strength and irradiate in space in the
course of the same treatment session as well as due to the successive
sessions. The primary focus inhibition, once and whenever it occured,
would spread all over the cortical field bringing about natural sleep.
During the initial treatment sessions the extent of irradiation may be
quite insignificant because of the patient's inhibition inertia due to
this or that neuropsychic disorder in the patient under treatment. In the
course of successive treatment session the trace responses as retained in
above-said cortical centres would cause the stimuli to be accumulated so
that the inhibition tends to be intensified.
Besides, in the course of successive treatment
sessions new conditioned reflex associations are put into effect either
because of the procedure itself or due to its specific time, or because of
any other isolated factor, all contributing to the irradiation of
inhibition phenomena throughout the cortical centres in the cerebral
hemispheres.
The whole system of stimuli which
is addressed to the patient's organism makes use of the first signal
system channels, i.e., the receptor zones of the appropriate analyzers, so
that the second signal system channels (mind, intellect, psyche) are
avoided thereby providing for a curative effect, no matter the patient's
psychic condition or his attitude towards the treatment procedure.
Besides, the second signal system channels, once unblocked, affords some
opportunities for a simultaneous suggestive and rhythm therapy action
thereby increasing the treatment effect.
The
present invention makes use of a plurality of sources which are distant
stimuli of different physical nature being such oscillatory phenomena as
act upon the receptors to the adequate physiologic extents giving rise to
no alterations which would exceed the physiologic constants limits
involved. That is why the action exerted upon the patient's organism is
mild and humane. Besides, provision is made both for a separate control of
every factor and for a joint application of a required combination thereof
so that the electrohypnotic treatment could be quite individual.
The second embodiment of this apparatus is
based on the same principles of operation as the first embodiment thereof.
The difference can be described as follows.
By
means of a potentiometer 35 in conjunction with the electronic timer the
pulse repetition rate of light pulses, sound pulses, VHF electromagnetic
field pulses, as well as heat radiation, can be made to vary with due
regard to the patient's individual characteristics.
The possibility of alterations both in pulse
repetition rate and in the operation made of the apparatus under
consideration provides for a controlled variation of biorhythms in the
appropriate range as suggested by the principle of rhythm assimilation
named after A.A.Ukhtomsky.
In the second
embodiment of the apparatus, the light radiation pulses are sent by
incandescent lamps 43 and 44, green in color, which are mounted at eye
level and symmetrical with respect to sinus plane, so that the convergence
effect is eliminated (the eyeball convergence would give birth to a
stimulation focus thereby preventing the progress of somnolescent
inhibition).
The application of green light
permits utilization of Paurquignet's effect to achieve an optimum
influence on the visual analyzers.
The
following procedure is recommended for the treatment of neuropsychic and
somatic disorders using the apparatus of the present invention.
At a first treatment session the duration of
the VHF exposure should be 10 minutes, at a second one - 15 minutes, at a
third one - 20 minutes, at a fourth one - 25 minutes, and at all
succeeding sessions it should be 30 minutes. The other radiation sources
may be operated for 30 to 60 minutes. On the average, 30 minutes is
required for one treatment-session. The patient may lie with his face
upwards and eyes open, though it would be better for him to close his eyes
to be ready to fall asleep. At the first treatment-session, the
intensities of sound-, light-, and heat-radiation are selected to suit the
particular patient.
Using the second
embodiment of the apparatus, during the first minutes of the treatment
session, the pulse repetition rate should be 20 to 40 pulses per minute
(instead of 50 to 60 pulses per minute which is the normal case).
During the successive treatment-sessions the
intensity of the exposure may remain the same as that used at the first
session. The pulse repetition rate, however, may be gradually decreased
later on from session to session.
The
development of inhibition processes at a treatment-session is
characterized by a very gradual progress. This manifests itself in a
somewhat slower pulse, lower integument temperature and arterial pressure,
relaxation of sceletal muscles, onset of somnolescence.
With each successive session the onset of all
these phenomena takes less time while the phenomena themselves become more
pronounced, bringing about a general improvement of the patient's state of
health accompanied with a better sleep at night.
During the treatment session, the patient
experiences gentle, tranquilizing sensations, which result in psychical
relaxation and, gradual transference from vigilance to sleep. An active
reproduction of inhibition of processes, if regularly repeated, each
treatment-session makes a sort of training the patient for a better
neuro-dynamic performance.
Clinical
applications of the proposed apparatus are as follows. The apparatus of
the present invention may be used for the treatment of patients in the 4
to 70 years bracket. One hundred patients, 4 to 18 years old, and 200
patients over 18 years old underwent the appropriate treatment. Among
these patients were the following cases: neurasthenia, neurosis involving
delusion, insomnia, asthenic, depressive and reactive states,
postinfections and traumatic cerebrasthenia, diencephalic syndrome,
vegeto-vascular dystonia, hypertension, bronchial asthma, stammering,
rheumatic Sydenham's chorea.
The treatment was
effected with respect to ambulatory clinic- and hospital patients.
No side effects, complications or harmful
actions were observed.
Contraindications:
infectious diseases, cancer, schizophrenia in its advanced stage (e.g.,
involving delirious phenomena), and hyperthyreosis.
The apparatus of the present invention for
treating neuropsychic and somatic diseases is a physical therapy apparatus
to be used for treating insomnia, hypertension, infantile stammering, and
other diseases arising from nervous exhaustion and prostration, nervous
break-down.
This apparatus is reliable,
convenient, safe and simple to control and use, portable, and if
necessary, may be placed at the bed-head when dealing with a bed case.
The use of the apparatus is not confined to
any age-bracket. Even infants were effectively treated. The apparatus may
be used in hospitals as well as in out-patient clinics.
The operation of the apparatus is quite
economical: its power consumption is very small. The treatment sessions
are effected by para medical personnel. Not to disturb the patient a
remote control from an adjacent room may be exercised.
For the first time in medical practice, thanks
to the apparatus of the present invention, use is made of a complex of
four physical factors acting simultaneously on the respective receptors,
said factors operating with predetermined rhythm pattern, and the sources
of respective radiation being placed at a predetermined distance from the
patient's receptors, so that it could bring about such a state of the
nervous system which is characteristic of rest and sleep.
The synergetic action of the factors used in
the apparatus result not in a simple sum of respective effects produced by
each of said factors, but creates quite a new qualitative phenomenon,
wherein interference - and resonance-processes, associated with the
radiation from the pertinent sources, cause the inhibition process to be
irradiated within the brain centres, which is a distinguishing feature of
the present type rhythm therapy.
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