Combining non-pharmacological treatments with pharmacotherapies for neurological disorders: a unique interface of the brain, drug-device, and intellectual property

Abstract

Mobile medical applications (mHealth), music, and video games are being developed and tested for their ability to improve pharmacotherapy outcomes and medication adherence. Pleiotropic mechanism of music and gamification engages an intrinsic motivation and the brain reward system, supporting therapies in patients with neurological disorders, including neuropathic pain, depression, anxiety, or neurodegenerative disorders. Based on accumulating results from clinical trials, an innovative combination treatment of epilepsy seizures, comorbidities, and the medication non-adherence can be designed, consisting of antiepileptic drugs and disease self-management software delivering clinically beneficial music. Since creative elements and art expressed in games, music, and software are copyrighted, therefore clinical and regulatory challenges in developing copyrighted, drug-device therapies may be offset by a value proposition of the exclusivity due to the patent-independent protection, which can last for over 70 years. Taken together, development of copyrighted non-pharmacological treatments (e-therapies), and their combinations with pharmacotherapies, offer incentives to chronically ill patients and outcome-driven health care industries.

Keywords: Mozart; chronic disease; depression; dopamine; epilepsy; fatigue; psychiatric disorders.

Figure 1

Examples of drug–device interfaces created by mobile medical applications, serious video games, or music. (A) Electronic devices are used to provide music, games, and mobile medical applications, while also becoming delivery systems for disease self-management platforms. (B) An example of combining pharmacotherapies with medical devices for the treatment of diabetes. Mobile therapies, such as BlueStar^®, can support disease-specific, healthy behaviors of a patient, and remind about taking prescribed medications on-time.

Figure 2

Integrating antiepileptic drugs into a copyrighted combination therapy for the treatment of epilepsy. (A) Examples of generic antiepileptic drugs. (B) Designing an integrated combination therapy consisting of antiepileptic drugs and copyrighted non-pharmacological components delivered by an electronic device. While antiepileptic drugs and music can treat epileptic seizures, a self-management digital platform can include specifically designed games for the treatment of depression or anxiety.