An adaptive 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.