Non-invasive magnetic or electrical nerve stimulation to treat or prevent dementia
First Claim
1. A method of treating or preventing dementia in a patient, the method comprising:
- positioning one or more electrodes in contact with an outer skin surface of a neck of the patient, wherein a housing includes an exterior portion and an interior portion, wherein the exterior portion includes the one or more electrodes, wherein the interior portion contains a power source coupled to the one or more electrodes;
generating an electric current with the power source; and
transmitting, during the positioning, the electric current non-invasively and transcutaneously from the power source via the one or more electrodes through the outer skin surface of the neck to a vagus nerve in the patient, wherein the electric current comprises a single signal comprising bursts of pulses with each of the pulses having a duration from about 20 microseconds to about 1000 microseconds and each of the bursts followed by a silent intra-burst period such that each of the bursts has a frequency from about 15 Hz to about 50 Hz, and wherein the electric current is sufficient to modify dementia within the patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for treating or preventing dementia, such as Alzheimer'"'"'s disease. The methods comprise transmitting impulses of energy non-invasively to selected nerve fibers, particularly those in a vagus nerve, that modulate the activity of a patient'"'"'s locus ceruleus. The transmitted energy impulses, comprising magnetic and/or electrical energy, stimulate the selected nerve fibers to cause the locus ceruleus to release norepinephrine into regions of the brain that contain beta-amyloids. The norepinephrine counteracts neuroinflammation that would damage neurons in those regions and the locus ceruleus, thereby arresting or slowing the progression of the disease in the patient.
74 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of treating or preventing dementia in a patient, the method comprising:
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positioning one or more electrodes in contact with an outer skin surface of a neck of the patient, wherein a housing includes an exterior portion and an interior portion, wherein the exterior portion includes the one or more electrodes, wherein the interior portion contains a power source coupled to the one or more electrodes; generating an electric current with the power source; and transmitting, during the positioning, the electric current non-invasively and transcutaneously from the power source via the one or more electrodes through the outer skin surface of the neck to a vagus nerve in the patient, wherein the electric current comprises a single signal comprising bursts of pulses with each of the pulses having a duration from about 20 microseconds to about 1000 microseconds and each of the bursts followed by a silent intra-burst period such that each of the bursts has a frequency from about 15 Hz to about 50 Hz, and wherein the electric current is sufficient to modify dementia within the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification