Method and apparatus for electrically stimulating cells implanted in the nervous system
First Claim
1. A method of cell therapy, comprising:
- preparing at least partially undifferentiated cells for implantation;
implanting the at least partially undifferentiated cells at an implantation site of a nervous system of a patient;
positioning at least one electrode in communication with the implantation site of the nervous system of the patient; and
differentiating the at least partially undifferentiated cells into cells with increased neural characteristics when compared to the at least partially undifferentiated cells by applying an electrical potential to the at least one electrode while the electrode is in communication with the implantation site of the nervous system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The following disclosure describes several methods and apparatus for stimulating cells implanted in the regions of nervous system, such as the brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerves. Accordingly, the functionality of the cells can be improved, for example, by differentiating undifferentiated or partially undifferentiated cells into neurons or other cells having action potentials. The method can also include promoting directional growth and connectivity of fully differentiated neural cells implanted in a patient'"'"'s nervous system through electrical enhancement, for example, electrical stimulation via an anode and cathode. Methods in accordance with the invention can be used to treat brain damage (e.g., stroke, trauma, etc.), brain disease (e.g., Alzheimer'"'"'s, Pick'"'"'s, Parkinson'"'"'s, etc.), and/or brain disorders (e.g., epilepsy, depression, etc.). The methods in accordance with the invention can also be used to enhance neural-function of normal, healthy brains (e.g., learning, memory, etc.), or to control sensory functions (e.g., pain).
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Citations
94 Claims
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1. A method of cell therapy, comprising:
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preparing at least partially undifferentiated cells for implantation;
implanting the at least partially undifferentiated cells at an implantation site of a nervous system of a patient;
positioning at least one electrode in communication with the implantation site of the nervous system of the patient; and
differentiating the at least partially undifferentiated cells into cells with increased neural characteristics when compared to the at least partially undifferentiated cells by applying an electrical potential to the at least one electrode while the electrode is in communication with the implantation site of the nervous system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of cell therapy, comprising:
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identifying an implantation site of a nervous system of a patient by generating remotely from a location in the nervous system an intended neural activity and determining the site of the nervous system where the generated neural activity is present;
preparing at least partially undifferentiated cells for implantation;
at the implantation site, implanting the at least partially undifferentiated cells directly into tissue of the patient without an implanted substrate;
positioning a first electrode and a second electrode at least proximate to the implantation site of the nervous system, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are spaced apart from the at least partially undifferentiated cells; and
differentiating the at least partially undifferentiated cells into cells with increased neural characteristics when compared to the at least partially undifferentiated cells by applying an electrical potential between the first electrode and the second electrode and directing an electrical current through the tissue adjacent to the at least partially undifferentiated cells and to the at least partially undifferentiated cells. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of cell therapy, comprising:
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preparing fully differentiated neural cells for implantation;
at an implantation site of a nervous system of a patient, implanting the fully differentiated neural cells directly into tissue without an implanted substrate;
positioning at least one electrode at least proximate to the implantation site of the nervous system of the patient;
applying an electrical potential to the at least one electrode while the electrode is at least proximate to the implantation site of the nervous system; and
enhancing connections between native cells and the fully differentiated neural cells by directing an electrical current from the at least one electrode through the tissue surrounding the fully differentiated neural cells. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of cell therapy, comprising:
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preparing fully differentiated neural cells for implantation;
at an implantation site of a nervous system of a patient, implanting the fully differentiated neural cells directly into tissue without an implanted substrate;
positioning at least one electrode at least proximate to the implantation site of the nervous system of the patient;
applying an electrical potential to the at least one electrode while the electrode is at least proximate to the implantation site of the nervous system; and
directing growth of the fully differentiated neural cells by directing an electrical current from the at least one electrode through the tissue surrounding the fully differentiated neural cells. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of cell therapy, comprising:
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preparing at least partially undifferentiated cells for implantation;
applying an electrical stimulation to the at least partially undifferentiated cells while the at least partially undifferentiated cells are external to a patient;
implanting the at least partially undifferentiated cells directly into tissue at an implantation site of a nervous system of the patient after applying the electrical stimulation and without supporting the at least partially undifferentiated implanted cells with a substrate;
positioning a first electrode and a second electrode at least proximate to the implantation site of the nervous system, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are spaced apart from the at least partially undifferentiated cells; and
differentiating the at least partially undifferentiated cells into cells with increased neural characteristics by directing an electrical current between the first electrode and the second electrodes through the tissue surrounding the at least partially undifferentiated cells and to the at least partially undifferentiated cells. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A method of cell therapy, comprising:
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identifying an implantation site of a nervous system of a patient by generating remotely from a location in the nervous system an intended neural activity and determining the site of the nervous system where the generated neural activity is present;
preparing at least partially undifferentiated cells for implantation;
implanting the at least partially undifferentiated cells directly and without an implanted substrate into tissue at the implantation site of the nervous system of the patient;
positioning a first electrode and a second electrode at least proximate to the implantation site of the nervous system, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are spaced apart from the at least partially undifferentiated cells;
ascertaining a threshold for generating action potentials for the at least partially undifferentiated cells at the implantation site of the nervous system; and
differentiating the at least partially undifferentiated cells into cells with increased action potentials by applying a subthreshold voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode and directing an electrical current through the tissue surrounding the at least partially undifferentiated cells and to the at least partially undifferentiated cells, wherein the subthreshold voltage is approximately 10%-50% less than the threshold for generating action potentials. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A method of cell therapy for a location of a brain of a patient, comprising:
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identifying a stimulation site by generating remotely from the location in the brain an intended neural activity and determining the site of the brain where the generated neural activity is present;
preparing at least partially undifferentiated cells for implantation;
implanting the at least partially undifferentiated cells at the stimulation site;
positioning at least one electrode at least proximate to the at least partially undifferentiated cells; and
differentiating the at least partially undifferentiated cells into cells with increased neural characteristics when compared to the at least partially undifferentiated cells by applying an electrical potential to the at least one electrode while the electrode is at least proximate to the at least partially undifferentiated cells. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. A method of cell therapy, comprising:
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identifying an implantation site in a nervous system of a patient where neural activity has changed in response to a change in neural function;
applying an electrical stimulation to cells capable of differentiating into neurons while the cells capable of differentiating into neurons are external to the patient; and
implanting the cells capable of differentiating into neurons at the implantation site after applying the electrical stimulation. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 89)
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87. A method of cell replacement therapy using an apparatus having a support member, a pulse system carried by the support member, and an electrode assembly including first and second electrodes at an interior surface of the support member, comprising:
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implanting the support member proximate into a skull of a patient to position the pulse system proximate to the skull and to position the first and second electrodes proximate to a stimulation site on and/or in a brain of the patient;
implanting at least partially undifferentiated cells at the stimulation site;
, anddifferentiating the at least partially undifferentiated cells into cells with increased neural characteristics when compared to the at least partially undifferentiated cells by controlling the pulse system to apply an electrical potential between the first and second electrodes at least proximate to the stimulation site. - View Dependent Claims (88, 90, 91)
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92. A system for cell therapy for a region of a brain of a patient, comprising:
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at least partially undifferentiated cells capable of differentiating into cells with increased neural characteristics when compared to the at least partially undifferentiated cells, the at least partially undifferentiated cells being in a state suitable for implantation into the region of the brain;
an implantable support member configured to be implanted into the patient at least partially within a skull of the patient;
a pulse system carried by the support member;
a first electrode carried by the support member, the first electrode being coupled to the pulse system; and
a second electrode carried by the support member, the second electrode being spaced apart from the first electrode, and the second electrode being coupled to the pulse system. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94)
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Specification