Brain electrode

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrode ( 1 ), in particular a deep brain stimulating (DBS) electrode or a deep brain lesioning electrode. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the electrode ( 1 ) of the present invention and the use of the electrode. The present invention also relates to a directional electrode.

1 . An electrode comprising: 
 (a) a core comprising one or more insulated wires having non-insulated ends;    (b) an insulating sheath around the core, wherein the non-insulated ends of the one or more wires are exposed; and    (c) one or more electrode areas formed by depositing electrically conducting material on the surface of the sheath, wherein the one or more electrode areas are in electrical contact with at least one of the non-insulated ends.    
   
   
       2 . The electrode of  claim 1  wherein the core comprises a plurality of insulated wires having non-insulated ends.  
   
   
       3 . The electrode of  claim 2 , wherein each end of each insulated wire is in electrical contact with a separate electrode area.  
   
   
       4 . The electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conducting material is deposited by jet printing, etching, photolithography, plasma deposition, evaporation and electroplating.  
   
   
       5 . The electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conducting material is gold or platinum.  
   
   
       6 . The electrode of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode is a deep brain stimulating (DBS) or deep brain lesioning electrode.  
   
   
       7 . A method for constructing an electrode according to  claim 1  comprising: 
 (a) coating the core of one or more insulated wires with the electrically insulating sheath, wherein the non-insulated ends of the one or more wires are not coated by the sheath; and    (b) depositing electrically conducting material on the surface of the sheath to form one or more electrode areas which are in electrical contact with at least one of the non-insulating ends.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more insultated wires are wound around a supporting member.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the supporting member is a tungsten wire.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the electrically conducting material is deposited by jet printing, etching, photolithography, plasma deposition, evaporation and electroplating.  
   
   
       11 . A directional electrode comprising: 
 (a) a core comprising one or more insulated wires having non-insulated ends;    (b) an electrically insulating sheath around the core, wherein the non-insulating ends of the one or more wires are exposed; and    (c) one or more electrode areas on the surface of the sheath in electrical contact with at least one of the non-insulated ends wherein each electrode area extends over less than half the circumference of the electrode.    
   
   
       12 . The directional electrode of  claim 11 , wherein each of the one or more electrode areas extends over less than a quarter of the circumference of the electrode.  
   
   
       13 . The directional electrode of  claim 12 , wherein each of the one or more electrode areas extends over about an eighth of the circumference of the electrode.  
   
   
       14 . The directional electrode  claim 11 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the one or more electrode areas are parallel to or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the electrode.  
   
   
       15 . The directional electrode of  claim 11  wherein the core comprises a plurality of insulated wires having non-insulated ends.  
   
   
       16 . The directional electrode of  claim 15 , wherein each end of each insulated wire is in electrical contact with a separate electrode area.  
   
   
       17 . The directional electrode of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of electrode areas are in a staggered arrangement.  
   
   
       18 . The directional electrode of  claim 11 , wherein the electrically conducting material is gold or platinum.  
   
   
       19 . The directional electrode of  claim 11 , wherein the electrode is a deep brain stimulating (DBS) or deep brain lesioning electrode.  
   
   
       20 . The directional electrode of  claim 11 , comprising a line along the length of the electrode in alignment with the electrode areas for orientating the position of the electrode areas.  
   
   
       21 . The directional electrode of  claim 11 , which produces a monopolar current.  
   
   
       22 . The directional electrode of  claim 11 , which produces a bipolar current.  
   
   
       23 . A method for constructing the directional electrode of  claim 11 , comprising: 
 (a) coating the core of one or more insulated wires with the electrically insulating sheath, wherein the non-insulated ends of the one or more wires are not coated by the sheath; and    (b) depositing electrically conducting material on the surface of the sheath to form the one or more electrode areas which are in electrical contact with at least one of the non-insulating ends.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more insulated wires are wound around a supporting member.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the supporting member is a tungsten wire.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the electrically conducting material is deposited by jet printing, etching, photolithography, plasma deposition, evaporation and electroplating.  
   
   
       27 . Use of the directional electrode of  claim 11  in therapy.  
   
   
       28 . A brain electrode arranged to produce an effective field which is offset to one side of the electrode and which has a plane of symmetry through a plane through the longitudinal axis of the electrode.  
   
   
       29 . A method of making a brain electrode comprising the steps of: 
 arranging an elongate conductive electrode core in a mould cavity,    arranging a conductor to contact the core and to extend outside the cavity of the mould,    casting moulding material into the cavity of the mould to form a coating on the core so that the conductor creates a path to the core through the coating.