A method and apparatus for forecasting and controlling neurological
abnormalities in humans such as seizures or other brain disturbances. The
system is based on a multi-level control strategy. Using as inputs one or
more types of physiological measures such as brain electrical, chemical
or magnetic activity, heart rate, pupil dilation, eye movement,
temperature, chemical concentration of certain substances, a feature set
is selected off-line from a pre-programmed feature library contained in a
high level controller within a supervisory control architecture. This
high level controller stores the feature library within a notebook or
external PC. The supervisory control also contains a knowledge base that
is continuously updated at discrete steps with the feedback information
coming from an implantable device where the selected feature set (feature
vector) is implemented. This high level controller also establishes the
initial system settings (off-line) and subsequent settings (on-line) or
tunings through an outer control loop by an intelligent procedure that
incorporates knowledge as it arises. The subsequent adaptive settings for
the system are determined in conjunction with a low-level controller that
resides within the implantable device. The device has the capabilities of
forecasting brain disturbances, controlling the disturbances, or both.
Forecasting is achieved by indicating the probability of an oncoming
seizure within one or more time frames, which is accomplished through an
inner-loop control law and a feedback necessary to prevent or control the
neurological event by either electrical, chemical, cognitive, sensory,
and/or magnetic stimulation.