System and method for diagnosing and/or reducing tinnitus
First Claim
1. A method of diagnosing whether a human is a candidate for tinnitus reduction using a neural prosthetic, comprising:
- applying an electrical signal capable of generating pseudospontaneous activity in an auditory nerve of at least one human to a plurality of candidates;
identifying a prescribed threshold; and
selecting the candidate having an auditory response to said electrical signal and tinnitus perception below the prescribed threshold upon application of said electrical signal.
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Abstract
A system and method for application of pseudospontaneous neural stimulation is provided that can generate stochastic independent activity across an excited nerve or neural population without an additional disadvantageous sensations. High rate pulse trains, for example, can produce random spike patterns in auditory nerve fibers that are statistically similar to those produced by spontaneous activity in the normal ear. This activity is called “pseudospontaneous activity”. Varying rates of pseudospontaneous activity can be created by varying the intensity of a fixed amplitude, high rate pulse train stimulus, e.g., 5000 pps. A method and apparatus for diagnosing treatment for tinnitus with neural prosthetic devices according to the present invention that can use, for example, physiological responses to pseudospontaneous activity in an auditory nerve prior to the implementation of the neural prosthetic. Monitored patient response to the generated pseudospontaneous activity in the auditory nerve, even if temporary, can produce successful reduction or elimination in perceived tinnitus by subsequent treatment.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of diagnosing whether a human is a candidate for tinnitus reduction using a neural prosthetic, comprising:
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applying an electrical signal capable of generating pseudospontaneous activity in an auditory nerve of at least one human to a plurality of candidates;
identifying a prescribed threshold; and
selecting the candidate having an auditory response to said electrical signal and tinnitus perception below the prescribed threshold upon application of said electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of testing whether a patient'"'"'s tinnitus can be at least partially reduced, comprising:
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applying an electrical signal capable of generating pseudospontaneous activity in an auditory nerve of at least one human to the patient'"'"'s auditory nerve;
determining the patient'"'"'s response to said electrical signal; and
adjusting, if the patient'"'"'s tinnitus is not at least partially reduced, a level of said electrical signal and repeating said determining step. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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12. An apparatus of diagnosing whether a human is a candidate for tinnitus reduction using a neural prosthetic, comprising:
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applying means for applying an electrical signal capable of generating pseudospontaneous activity in an auditory nerve of at least one human to a plurality of candidates;
identifying means for identifying a prescribed threshold; and
selecting means for selecting the candidate having an auditory response to said electrical signal and tinnitus perception below the prescribed threshold upon application of said electrical signal.
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13. A method of determining residual effects to a patient with tinnitus resulting from application of a signal capable of inducing pseudo-spontaneous activity, comprising:
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applying an electrical signal capable of generating pseudo-spontaneous activity in an auditory nerve of at least one human to the patient'"'"'s auditory nerve for a first time period; and
determining whether there remains a perceptible difference in the patient'"'"'s tinnitus after said first time period. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification