Method for treatment of depression using synaptic pathway training
View Patent ↗Disclosed are methods of treating depression, mania, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and various other neurologic conditions using synaptic pathway training. Methods of synaptic pathway training include, generally, achieving a favorable treatment result by activating a synaptic pathway using a pharmacologic agent, such as treating refractory symptoms of depression with ketamine, following by potentiation of the favorable result by repeatedly stimulating the activated pathway. Stimulation of a synaptic pathway may be achieved by intrinsic means, such as performance of cognitive exercised, or extrinsic means, such as by delivery of a sensory stimulus to the patient, placing a potential voltage difference across the brain or a brain region, or by placing the brain or a brain region in a magnetic field.
1 . A method of treating a patient having a neurologic condition by synaptic pathway training comprising steps:
altering synaptic pathways within an area of the patient's brain with a pharmacologic agent hallucinogenic administered intravenously in a dosage of at least 0.5 mg per kilogram of the patient's weight adjusted to a greater dosage amount as needed based on the patient to obtain a temporary dissociative effect, wherein the hallucinogenic pharmacologic agent is selected based on its effectiveness in increasing hippocampal volume, synaptic pathways, and synaptic density in the hippocampus, wherein altering synaptic pathways comprises increasing hippocampal volume, increasing and activating synaptic pathways, and increasing synaptic density within a hippocampus of the patient's brain;
stimulating the altered synaptic pathways with cognitive stimulation exercises, wherein the cognitive stimulation exercises are selected based on their efficacy in maintaining the increased hippocampal volume, synaptic pathways, and synaptic density and wherein the cognitive stimulation exercises are initiated within 48 hours after administering the pharmacologic agent; and
extending a treatment result by repeatedly stimulating the altered synaptic pathway with a daily cognitive exercise, selected from the cognitive stimulation exercises, for a minimum of thirty minutes, wherein the daily cognitive exercise comprises engagement with software based cognitive programs designed to increase attention, memory, problem solving, and focus to maintain the increased hippocampal volume, increased synaptic pathways, and increased synaptic density within a hippocampus.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to the stimulating step there is a selecting step wherein the non-pharmacological treatment is chosen based upon its efficacy in maintaining said synaptic pathways and volume.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein prior to the altering step there is a step of choosing the pharmacological agent based upon the agent's effectiveness in increasing synaptic pathways and synaptic volume in an area of the brain associated with the neurological condition.
4 . The method of claim 3 , including interviewing the patient to determine whether the dosage was sufficient to increase synaptic pathways and synaptic volume.
5 . The method of claim 4 , including administering an increased dosage when it is determined the initial dosage was insufficient.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the neurologic condition is depression.
7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the neurologic condition is bipolar disorder.
8 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the neurologic condition is post-traumatic stress disorder.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the neurological condition is alcoholism.