Devices and methods for brain stimulation

• US 20060149335A1
• Filed: 01/05/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics Corporation (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Meadows, Paul M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36025 for treating a mental or cerebral condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

A device for brain stimulation that includes a lead having a longitudinal surface; at least one stimulation electrode disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead; and at least one recording electrode, separate from the at least one stimulation electrode, disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead.

Claims

1. A device for brain stimulation, comprising:

a lead having a longitudinal surface;

at least one stimulation electrode disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead; and

at least one recording electrode, separate from the at least one stimulation electrode, disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one recording electrode comprises at least one multipolar recording electrode.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one multipolar recording electrode is a bipolar recording electrode.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one recording electrode is surrounded by a one of the at least one stimulation electrodes.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one recording electrode comprises a set of recording electrodes disposed at intervals around the circumference of the lead.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one recording electrode comprises a plurality of sets of recording electrodes, each set comprises a plurality of recording electrodes disposed at intervals around the circumference of the lead.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one stimulation electrode comprises a plurality of stimulation electrodes disposed in a longitudinal array along the surface of the lead.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein at least one recording electrode is disposed between at least two of the stimulation electrodes.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the lead defines a lumen having a non-circular lateral cross-section extending longitudinally through at least a portion of the lead.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the lumen has a lateral cross-section comprising a plurality of arms extending from a central cavity.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the lumen has a cruciform or star-shaped lateral cross-section.

12. The device of claim 9, further comprising a stylet having a lateral cross-section corresponding to the lateral cross-section of the lumen.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a microdrive motor system coupled to the lead to facilitate positioning of the lead in a brain of a patient.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the microdrive motor system is configured and arranged to be responsive to signals from the at least one recording electrode.

15. A device for brain stimulation, comprising:

a lead having a circumference; and

a set of recording electrodes disposed at intervals around the circumference of the lead.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the set of recording electrodes comprises at least three recording electrodes.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the set of recording electrodes is disposed at regular intervals around the circumference of the lead.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the set of recording electrodes comprises four recording electrodes disposed around the circumference of the lead at 90°

intervals.

19. The device of claim 16, further comprising one or more additional sets of recording electrodes, each additional set of recording electrodes comprising recording electrodes disposed at intervals around the circumference of the lead and each additional set of recording electrodes being spaced longitudinally from the set of recording electrodes.

20. The device of claim 16, further comprising at least one stimulating electrode disposed on the lead.

21. A device for brain stimulation, comprising:

a lead defining a lumen having a non-circular lateral cross-section; and

at least one electrode disposed on the lead.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the lateral cross-section of the lumen comprises a plurality of arms extending from a central cavity.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the lumen has a cruciform or star-shaped lateral cross-section.

24. The device of claim 21, wherein the at least one electrode comprises a recording electrode.

25. The device of claim 21, wherein the at least one electrode comprises a stimulation electrode.

26. The device of claim 21, wherein the at least one electrode comprises at least one recording electrode and at least one stimulation electrode.

27. A device for brain stimulation, comprising:

a lead;

a recording electrode disposed on the lead; and

a stimulation electrode disposed on the lead and around the recording electrode, wherein the recording electrode and stimulation electrode are separated by a non-conductive region.

28. The device of claim 27, further comprising at least one additional stimulation electrode.

29. The device of claim 27, further comprising at least one additional recording electrode.

30. A method for brain stimulation, the method comprising:

inserting a lead into a cranium of a patient, the lead comprising at least one stimulation electrode disposed along a longitudinal surface of the lead; and

at least one recording electrode, separate from the at least one stimulation electrode, disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead;

identifying target neurons using the at least one recording electrode; and

stimulating the target neurons using the at least one stimulation electrode.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising inserting a stylet into the lead to assist in inserting the lead into the cranium of the patient.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the lead defines a lumen having a non-circular lateral cross-section extending longitudinally through at least a portion of the lead and the stylet has a corresponding lateral cross-section.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the lumen has a lateral cross-section comprising a plurality of arms extending from a central cavity.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the lumen has a cruciform or star-shaped lateral cross-section.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising rotating the lead using the stylet, after identifying the target neurons using, to align at least one stimulation electrode with the target neurons.