Method and apparatus for affecting the autonomic nervous system
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for affecting the autonomic nervous system of a subject using stimuli based on separate analysis of the sympathetic and/or parasympathetic branches of the subject'"'"'s autonomic nervous system. The present invention also relates to a method and apparatus for affecting the autonomic nervous system, wherein stimuli is applied in coordination with cyclical activities of the subjects body such as respiration or cardiac cycle.
224 Citations
100 Claims
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1-65. -65. (canceled)
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66. A method for non-invasive treatment of a condition by affecting an autonomic nervous system of a human subject having a heart cycle wherein the method comprises:
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applying a plurality of stimuli to the human subject wherein the stimuli are of a same stimulus type and have a same stimulus quality modulated by a stimulus parameter and wherein the plurality of stimuli comprise;
a first stimulus applied at a time T1 and having a stimulus parameter S1;
a second stimulus applied at a time T2 and having a stimulus parameter S2; and
a third stimulus applied at a time T3 and having a stimulus parameter S3;
monitoring the heart cycle of the human subject during a first time period to generate first heart data wherein the first time period ends after T1;
analyzing the first heart data to assess a first activity level (A1) of the autonomic nervous system;
calculating S2 based on A1;
monitoring the heart cycle of the human subject during a second time period to generate second heart data wherein the second time period ends after T2;
analyzing the second heart data to assess a second activity level (A2) of the autonomic nervous system; and
calculating S3 based on A2. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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76. A method for affecting the functioning of an autonomic nervous system of a human subject comprising:
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applying a first stimulus commencing at a first time (T1) to the human subject wherein the stimulus has a stimulus characteristic determined by a first value;
monitoring a cyclic activity of the human subject during a first time period to generate first activity data wherein the first time period ends after T1;
analyzing the first activity data to assess a first activity level of the autonomic nervous system;
calculating a second value based on the first activity level;
applying a second stimulus commencing at a second time (T2) having a stimulus characteristic determined by the second value to the human subject;
monitoring the cyclic activity of the human subject during a second time period to generate second activity data wherein the second time period ends after T2;
analyzing the second activity data to assess a second activity level of the autonomic nervous system;
calculating a third value based on the second activity level; and
applying a third stimulus commencing at a third time (T3) having a stimulus characteristic defined by the third value to the human subject. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
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87. Apparatus for treating a condition by affecting the autonomic nervous system of a human subject comprising:
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stimuli applicator means for applying a first stimulus having a stimulus characteristic determined by a first parameter (S1) to the human subject at a first time (T1), applying a second stimulus having a stimulus characteristic determined by a second parameter (S2) to the human subject at a second time (T2) and applying a stimulus having a stimulus characteristic determined by a third parameter (S3) to the human subject at a third time (T3);
activity monitor means for monitoring a cyclic activity of the human subject during a first period ending after T1 to generate first activity data and monitoring the cyclic activity of the human subject during a second time period ending after T2 to generate second activity data; and
stimuli modulator means for analyzing the first activity data to assess a first performance (A1) of the autonomic nervous system during the first time period and analyzing the second activity data to assess a second performance (A2) of the autonomic nervous system during the second period; and
wherein the stimuli modulator means calculates S2 based on A1 and calculates S3 based on A2. - View Dependent Claims (88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100)
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Specification