Method of treating mood disorders and/or anxiety disorders by brain stimulation

• US 20060064138A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lozano, Andres M., Velasco, Marcos, Jimenez, Fiacro, Velasco, Francisco
• Granted Patent: US 7,313,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/42
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36096 Mood disorders, e.g. depression, anxiety or panic disorder

Abstract

The present invention involves a method and a system for using electrical stimulation and/or chemical stimulation to treat depression. More particularly, the method comprises surgically implanting an electrical stimulation lead and/or catheter that is in communication with a predetermined site which is coupled to a signal generator and/or infusion pump that release either an electrical signal and/or a pharmaceutical resulting in stimulation of the predetermined site thereby treating the mood and/or anxiety disorder.

Claims

1. A method of treating a mood disorder and/or anxiety disorder comprising the steps of:

surgically implanting an electrode in communication with a predetermined site selected from the group consisting of hypothalamus, inferior thalamic peduncle, and reticular thalamic nucleus;

coupling the electrode to a pulse generating source; and

generating an electrical signal with the pulse generating source wherein said signal electrically stimulates the predetermined site thereby treating the mood disorder and/or anxiety disorder.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein electrical stimulation of the predetermined site results in modulation of neuronal activity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined site is the hypothalamus.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined site is the inferior thalamic peduncle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined site is the reticular thalamic nucleus.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mood disorder is selected from the group consisting of major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and dysthymic disorder.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the mood disorder is major depressive disorder.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the anxiety disorder is selected from the group consisting of panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and phobic disorder.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the anxiety disorder is obsessive-compulsive disorder.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

surgically implanting a catheter having a proximal end coupled to a pump and a discharge portion for infusing a dosage of a pharmaceutical, wherein after implantation the discharge portion of the catheter is in communication with a predetermined site selected from the group consisting of hypothalamus, inferior thalamic peduncle, and reticular thalamic nucleus; and

operating the pump to discharge the pharmaceutical through the discharge portion of the catheter into the predetermined site thereby chemically stimulating the predetermined site and treating the mood disorder and/or anxiety disorder.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein chemical stimulation of the predetermined site results in modulation of neuronal activity.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the pharmaceutical is selected from the group consisting of an inhibitory neurotransmitter agonist, an excitatory neurotransmitter antagonist, an agent that increases the level of an inhibitory neurotransmitter, an agent that decrease the level of an excitatory neurotransmitter, and a local anesthetic agent.

13. A system for treating a mood and/or anxiety disorder comprising:

a probe having a stimulation portion in communication with a predetermined site selected from the group consisting of hypothalamus, inferior thalamic peduncle, and reticular thalamic nucleus; and

a device to stimulate the probe thereby stimulating the predetermined site and treating the mood and/or anxiety disorder.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the device is an electrical signal source and/or a pharmaceutical delivery pump.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the probe is an electrode and/or a pharmaceutical catheter.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the catheter comprises at least one electrode.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the stimulation is electrical.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the stimulation is chemical.

19. A system for treating subjects with mood disorder and/or anxiety disorder comprising:

an electrode that is implanted into the subject'"'"'s brain in communication with a predetermined site selected from the group consisting of hypothalamus, inferior thalamic peduncle, and reticular thalamic nucleus, and delivers electrical signals to the predetermined site in response to received signals; and

a signal generator that generates signals for transmission to the electrode resulting in delivery of electrical signals to the predetermined site thereby treating the mood disorder and/or anxiety disorder.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

a catheter that is implanted into a subject'"'"'s brain, the catheter having a proximal end coupled to a pump and a discharge portion for infusing a dosage of a pharmaceutical is in communication with a predetermined site selected from the group consisting of hypothalamus, inferior peduncle, and reticular thalamic nucleus; and

a pump to discharge the pharmaceutical through the discharge portion of the catheter into the predetermined site thereby chemically stimulating the predetermined site and treating the mood disorder and/or anxiety disorder