Method and system for treatment of eating disorders by means of neuro-electrical coded signals

• US 20060173508A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Neurosignal Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Neurosignal Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Francis, Ralph C., Stone, Robert T.
• Application Number:
  US11/393,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20060173508A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36085 Eating disorders or obesity
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36153 Voltage A61N1/3616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36167 Timing, e.g. stimulation onset

Abstract

A method for treating eating disorders comprising the steps of generating a neuro-electrical satiety signal that substantially corresponds to a neuro-electrical signal that is generated in a body and produces a satiety effect in the body, sensing food intake in a subject over at least a first period of time, and transmitting the neuro-electrical satiety signal to the subject if the food intake of the subject exceeds a predetermined threshold level during the first period of time.

Claims

1. A method for treating eating disorders, comprising the steps of:

generating a neuro-electrical satiety signal that substantially corresponds to a neuro-electrical signal that is generated in a body and produces a satiety effect in the body; and

transmitting said neuro-electrical satiety signal to a subject.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said satiety effect comprises a feeling of fullness.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal is transmitted to said subject at predetermined time intervals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal is transmitted to said subject manually.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal is transmitted to said subject manually and at predetermined time intervals.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal includes a positive voltage region having a first positive voltage for a first period of time and a first negative region having a first negative voltage for a second period of time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said first positive voltage is in the range of approximately 100-1500 mV.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said first positive voltage is approximately 800 mV.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said first period of time is in the range of approximately 100-400 μ

sec.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said first period of time is approximately 200 μ

sec.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein said first negative voltage is in the range of approximately −

50 mV to −

750 mV.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein said first negative voltage is approximately −

400 mV.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein said second period of time is in the range of approximately 200-800 μ

sec.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein said second period of time is approximately 400 μ

sec.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal has a repetition rate in the range of approximately 0.5-4 KHz.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said neuro-electrical satiety signals are generated.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said plurality of neuro-electrical satiety signals are transmitted to said subject.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said subject comprises a human.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said subject comprises an animal.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal includes a positive voltage region having a first positive voltage for a first period of time and a first negative region having a first negative voltage for a second period of time.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said first positive voltage is in the range of approximately 100-1500 mV.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein said first period of time is in the range of approximately 100-400 μ

sec.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein said first negative voltage is in the range of approximately −

50 mV to −

750 mV.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein said second period of time is in the range of approximately 200-800 μ

sec.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal has a repetition rate in the range of approximately 0.5-4 KHz.

20. A method for treating eating disorders, comprising the steps of:

generating a confounding satiety signal, and

transmitting said confounding satiety signal to a subject.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said confounding satiety signal produces a satiety effect in said subject'"'"'s body.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said satiety effect comprises a sensation of hunger.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said confounding satiety signal is adapted to restrict the transfer of afferent information to the satiety centers of the subject'"'"'s brain.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said confounding satiety signal is transmitted to said subject manually.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said confounding satiety signal is transmitted to said subject manually and at predetermined time intervals.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein said confounding satiety signal includes a positive voltage region having a first positive voltage for a first period of time and a first negative region having a first negative voltage for a second period of time.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said first positive voltage is in the range of approximately 100-1500 mV.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said first period of time is in the range of approximately 100-400 μ

sec.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said first negative voltage is in the range of approximately −

50 mV to −

750 mV.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said second period of time is in the range of approximately 200-800 μ

sec.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein said confounding satiety signal has a repetition rate in the range of approximately 1000-2000 Hz.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein a plurality of said confounding satiety signals are generated.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said plurality of confounding satiety signals are transmitted to said subject.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein said subject comprises a human.

35. The method of claim 20, wherein said subject comprises an animal.

36. A method for treating eating disorders, comprising the steps of:

generating a neuro-electrical satiety signal that substantially corresponds to a neuro-electrical signal that is generated in a body and produces a satiety effect in the body;

sensing food intake in a subject over at least a first period of time; and

transmitting said neuro-electrical satiety signal to said subject.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said satiety effect comprises a feeling of fullness.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein said neuro-electrical signal is transmitted if said food intake of said subject exceeds a predetermined threshold level during said first period of time.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal is transmitted to said subject at predetermined time intervals.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal is transmitted to said subject manually.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal is transmitted to said subject manually and at predetermined time intervals.

48. The method of claim 36, wherein a plurality of said neuro-electrical satiety signals are generated.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said plurality of neuro-electrical satiety signals are transmitted to said subject.

50. A method for treating eating disorders, comprising the steps of:

generating a confounding satiety signal;

sensing food intake in a subject over at least a first period of time; and

transmitting said confounding satiety signal to said subject.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said confounding satiety signal produces a satiety effect in said subject'"'"'s body.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein said satiety effect comprises a sensation of hunger.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein said confounding satiety signal is adapted to restrict the transfer of afferent information to the satiety centers of said subject'"'"'s brain.

54. The method of claim 50, wherein said confounding satiety signal is transmitted to said subject manually.

55. The method of claim 50, wherein said confounding satiety signal is transmitted to said subject manually and at predetermined time intervals.

56. The method of claim 50, wherein said confounding satiety signal includes a positive voltage region having a first positive voltage for a first period of time and a first negative region having a first negative voltage for a second period of time.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein said first positive voltage is in the range of approximately 100-1500 mV.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein said first period of time is in the range of approximately 100-400 μ

sec.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein said first negative voltage is in the range of approximately −

50 mV to −

750 mV.

60. The method of claim 56, wherein said second period of time is in the range of approximately 200-800 μ

sec.

61. The method of claim 50, wherein said confounding satiety signal has a repetition rate in the range of approximately 1000-2000 Hz.

62. The method of claim 50, wherein a plurality of said confounding satiety signals are generated.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein said plurality of confounding satiety signals are transmitted to said subject.

64. A system for treating eating disorders, comprising:

a processor adapted to generate at least a first neuro-electrical satiety signal, said neuro-electrical satiety signal substantially corresponding to a neuro-electrical signal that is generated in the body and produces a satiety effect in the body; and

a signal transmitter adapted to be in communication with the subject'"'"'s body for transmitting said first neuro-electrical satiety signal to said subject.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal includes a positive voltage region having a first positive voltage for a first period of time and a first negative region having a first negative voltage for a second period of time.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein said first positive voltage is in the range of approximately 100-1500 mV.

67. The system of claim 65, wherein said first period of time is in the range of approximately 100-400 μ

sec.

68. The system of claim 65, wherein said first negative voltage is in the range of approximately −

50 mV to −

750 mV.

69. The system of claim 65, wherein said second period of time is in the range of approximately 200-800 μ

sec.

70. The system of claim 65, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal has a repetition rate in the range of approximately 0.5-4 KHz.

71. A system for treating eating disorders, comprising:

at least a first food intake sensor adapted to monitor the food intake of a subject and provide at least a first food intake signal indicative of the subject'"'"'s food intake;

a processor in communication with said food intake sensor adapted to receive said first food intake signal, said processor being further adapted to generate at least a first neuro-electrical satiety signal that substantially corresponds to a neuro-electrical signal that is generated in the body and produces a satiety effect in the body; and

a signal transmitter adapted to be in communication with said subject'"'"'s body for transmitting said first neuro-electrical satiety signal to said subject.

72. The system of claim 71, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal includes a positive voltage region having a first positive voltage for a first period of time and a first negative region having a first negative voltage for a second period of time.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein said first positive voltage is in the range of approximately 100-1500 mV.

74. The system of claim 72, wherein said first period of time is in the range of approximately 100-400 μ

sec.

75. The system of claim 72, wherein said first negative voltage is in the range of approximately −

50 mV to −

750 mV.

76. The system of claim 72, wherein said second period of time is in the range of approximately 200-800 μ

sec.

77. The system of claim 72, wherein said neuro-electrical satiety signal has a repetition rate in the range of approximately 0.5-4 KHz.

78. A system for treating eating disorders, comprising:

a processor adapted to generate at least a first confounding satiety signal; and

a signal transmitter adapted to be in communication with a subject'"'"'s body for transmitting said first confounding satiety signal to said subject.

79. The system of claim 78, wherein said confounding satiety signal includes a positive voltage region having a first positive voltage for a first period of time and a first negative region having a first negative voltage for a second period of time.

80. The system of claim 79, wherein said first positive voltage is in the range of approximately 100-1500 mV.

81. The system of claim 79, wherein said first period of time is in the range of approximately 100-400 μ

sec.

82. The system of claim 79, wherein said first negative voltage is in the range of approximately −

50 mV to −

750 mV.

83. The system of claim 79, wherein said second period of time is in the range of approximately 200-800 μ

sec.

84. The system of claim 79, wherein said confounding satiety signal has a repetition rate in the range of approximately 1000-2000 Hz.