Selective nerve stimulation for the treatment of eating disorders
First Claim
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1. A method of treating an individual suffering from an eating disorder, the method comprising:
- applying a first therapeutic stimulation signal to a first stimulator that is coupled to a predetermined stimulation site comprising a volume of neural tissue in an area of the individual'"'"'s brain chosen from the group consisting of insula, subcallosal area, cingulate, thalamus, prefrontal cerebral cortex, brain stem, cerebellum, and white matter tracts leading to an aforementioned area, wherein said first stimulation signal causes modulation of the neuronal activity of said neural tissue, and said modulation of neuronal activity alleviates a symptom of the eating disorder.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for treating persons suffering from an eating disorder includes direct or indirect stimulation of selected areas of the brain associated with a symptom of the eating disorder. The stimulation regimen is programmable to enable physician optimization of stimulation signal parameters to ameliorate at least one symptom of bulimia or another eating disorder. Certain embodiments employ deep brain stimulation and/or sensing together with cranial nerve stimulation and/or sensing.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of treating an individual suffering from an eating disorder, the method comprising:
applying a first therapeutic stimulation signal to a first stimulator that is coupled to a predetermined stimulation site comprising a volume of neural tissue in an area of the individual'"'"'s brain chosen from the group consisting of insula, subcallosal area, cingulate, thalamus, prefrontal cerebral cortex, brain stem, cerebellum, and white matter tracts leading to an aforementioned area, wherein said first stimulation signal causes modulation of the neuronal activity of said neural tissue, and said modulation of neuronal activity alleviates a symptom of the eating disorder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of treating an individual suffering from an eating disorder, the method comprising:
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providing a controller comprising a signal generator and processor in communication with a first electrode and a second electrode;
coupling said first electrode to a cranial nerve of the individual;
coupling said second electrode to an area of the individual'"'"'s brain selected from the group consisting of insula, subcallosal area, cingulate, thalamus, hypothalamus, prefrontal cerebral cortex, brain stem, cerebellum, and white matter tracts leading from an aforementioned area;
applying a predetermined electrical signal to said first electrode; and
sensing electrical activity in said selected area of the brain by said second electrode;
comparing the sensed electrical activity to a predetermined electrical state of said selected area, to provide comparison results; and
determining from said comparison results whether said application of said predetermined electrical signal to said first electrode causes a modulation of electrical activity of said brain area, wherein said modulation of electrical activity corresponds to alleviation of a symptom of an eating disorder. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of treating an individual suffering from an eating disorder, the method comprising:
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providing a controller comprising a signal generator and processor in communication with a first electrode and a second electrode;
coupling said first electrode to a cranial nerve of the individual;
coupling said second electrode to an area of the individual'"'"'s brain selected from the group consisting of insula, subcallosal area, cingulate, thalamus, prefrontal cerebral cortex, brain stem, cerebellum, and white matter tracts leading to an aforementioned area;
applying a predetermined electrical signal to said second electrode to modulate neuronal activity of said selected area of the brain;
sensing electrical activity in said cranial nerve by said first electrode;
comparing the sensed electrical activity to a predetermined electrical state of said nerve, to yield comparison results;
determining from said comparison results whether said application of said predetermined electrical signal to said second electrode causes a modulation of electrical activity of said cranial nerve. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. An adaptive brain stimulation process for treating a patient suffering from an eating disorder, the process comprising:
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(a) providing a system comprising at least one sensor for coupling with a status indicator site on the patient to sense a present state of at least a first brain region or set of brain regions;
a first stimulating circuit for coupling at least said first brain region or set of brain regions by at least one stimulation electrode, to carry out stimulation according to a first set of stimulation parameters;
a comparator adapted for coupling with said at least one sensor, said comparator adapted for receiving data related to the present state and comparing said present state data with reference state data, such that said comparing results in a positive outcome or a negative outcome; and
at least one control circuit coupled with at least said first stimulating circuit and adapted for being adjusted according to the outcome of said comparing of said present and reference states, to control said stimulation parameters;
(b) coupling said at least one sensor with said a status indicator site on the patient;
(c) stimulating at least a first brain region or a first set of brain regions of the patient according to a first set of stimulation parameters;
(d) sensing a present state of said patient to provide sensed data;
(e) comparing said sensed data with reference state data to derive comparison results;
(f) determining from said comparison results whether a change in the stimulation parameters is necessary;
(g) if said change is necessary, determining what changes are to be made in said stimulation parameters;
(h) changing said first set of stimulation parameters as determined in step (f); and
(i) repeating steps (c)-(h) with the resulting changed stimulation parameters, until no further change is determined to be necessary in step (g), wherein no change is necessary when stimulation according to a changed set of stimulation parameters ameliorates a symptom of said eating disorder. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification