Vagus nerve stimulation for treatment of depression with therapeutically beneficial parameter settings

• US 20060293721A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LivaNova USA, Inc. (LivaNova Plc)
• Original Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Inventors: Cummins, Robert P., Tarver, W. Brent
• Application Number:
  US11/191,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20060293721A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362

Abstract

Method and apparatus for treating a patient with depression comprising continuously providing a therapy to treat the patient'"'"'s depression. The therapy, in one embodiment, comprises stimulating a patient'"'"'s vagus nerve for about 30 seconds at a current of about 0.75 mA followed by a cessation of vagus nerve stimulation of about 5 minutes. Further still, the therapy comprises a pulse width of about 500 μs and a frequency of about 20 Hz. In another embodiment, the therapy comprises stimulating a patient'"'"'s vagus nerve for about 25.07 seconds at a current of about 0.85 mA followed by a cessation of vagus nerve stimulation of about 4.07 minutes. This latter therapy also comprises a pulse width of about 415.20 μs and a frequency of about 20.07 Hz.

Claims

1. A method of treating a patient with depression, comprises:

continuously providing a therapy to treat the patient'"'"'s depression, said therapy comprising stimulating a patient'"'"'s vagus nerve for about 30 seconds at a current of about 0.75 mA followed by a cessation of vagus nerve stimulation of about 5 minutes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said therapy also comprises, during the 30 seconds of stimulation, stimulating the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve at a pulse width of about 500 μ

s.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said therapy also comprises, during the 30 seconds of stimulation, stimulating the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve at a frequency of about 20 Hz.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said therapy also comprises, during the 30 seconds of stimulation, stimulating the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve at a frequency of about 20 Hz.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein about 0.75 mA comprises a range selected from a group consisting of 0.75 mA +/−

5%, 0.75 mA +/−

10%, and 0.5 mA to 1 mA.

6. A method of treating a patient with depression, comprises:

continuously providing a therapy to treat the patient'"'"'s depression, said therapy comprising stimulating a patient'"'"'s vagus nerve for about 25.07 seconds at a current of about 0.85 mA followed by a cessation of vagus nerve stimulation of about 4.07 minutes.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said therapy also comprises, during the 25.07 seconds of stimulation, stimulating the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve at a pulse width of about 415.20 μ

s.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said therapy also comprises, during the 25.07 seconds of stimulation, stimulating the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve at a frequency of about 20.07 Hz.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said therapy also comprises, during the 25.07 seconds of stimulation, stimulating the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve at a frequency of about 20.07 Hz.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein about 0.85 mA comprises a range selected from a group consisting of 0.85 mA +/−

5%, 0.85 mA +/−

10%, 0.6 mA to 1.1 mA, and 0.75 to 1 mA.

11. An implantable pulse generator, comprising:

an output section adapted to couple to a plurality of electrodes;

a logic and control section coupled to the output section, wherein said logic and control section continuously causes a therapy to be provided to treat the patient'"'"'s depression, said therapy comprising stimulating a patient'"'"'s vagus nerve for about 30 seconds at a current of about 0.75 mA followed by a cessation of vagus nerve stimulation of about 5 minutes.

12. The pulse generator of claim 11 wherein said therapy also comprises, during the 30 seconds of stimulation, stimulating the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve at a pulse width of about 500 μ

s.

13. The pulse generator of claim 12 wherein said therapy also comprises, during the 30 seconds of stimulation, stimulating the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve at a frequency of about 20 Hz.

14. The pulse generator of claim 11 wherein said therapy also comprises, during the 30 seconds of stimulation, stimulating the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve at a frequency of about 20 Hz.

15. The pulse generator of claim 11 wherein about 0.75 mA comprises a range selected from a group consisting of 0.75 mA +/−

5%, 0.75 mA +/−

10%, and 0.5 mA to 1 mA.

16. An implantable pulse generator, comprising:

an output section adapted to couple to a plurality of electrodes;

a logic and control section coupled to the output section, wherein said logic and control section continuously causes a therapy to be provided to treat the patient'"'"'s depression, said therapy comprising stimulating a patient'"'"'s vagus nerve for about 25.07 seconds at a current of about 0.85 mA followed by a cessation of vagus nerve stimulation of about 4.07 minutes.

17. The pulse generator of claim 16 wherein said therapy also comprises, during the 25.07 seconds of stimulation, stimulating the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve at a pulse width of about 415.20 μ

s.

18. The pulse generator of claim 17 wherein said therapy also comprises, during the 25.07 seconds of stimulation, stimulating the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve at a frequency of about 20.07 Hz.

19. The pulse generator of claim 16 wherein said therapy also comprises, during the 25.07 seconds of stimulation, stimulating the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve at a frequency of about 20.07 Hz.

20. The pulse generator of claim 16 wherein about 0.85 mA comprises a range selected from a group consisting of 0.85 mA +/−

5%, 0.85 mA +/−

10%, 0.6 mA to 1.1 mA, and 0.75 to 1 mA.