Neurostimulation device for treating mood disorders
First Claim
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1. A system for treating a mood disorder, the system comprising:
- a programmable neurostimulation controller;
a first therapy delivery device adapted for coupling to said controller and for coupling to a cranial nerve of a patient suffering from a mood disorder; and
a second therapy delivery device adapted for coupling to said controller and adapted for coupling to a volume of neural tissue in an area of the patient'"'"'s brain wherein said area is 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, wherein said controller is adapted for causing a first therapeutic signal to be applied to the cranial nerve by the first therapy delivery device, and said controller is adapted for applying a second therapeutic signal to said brain area by said second therapy delivery device, wherein said application of said first and second therapeutic signals causes modulation of electrical activity in the brain area correlatable to alleviation of a symptom of a mood disorder in a patient, when said system is used for the stated purpose.
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Abstract
A device and method for treating a mood and/or anxiety disorder are disclosed which provide for stimulation of certain areas of the brain to modulate neuronal activity of areas associated with symptoms of mood disorders. In certain embodiments, brain stimulation is combined with cranial nerve stimulation for enhancing symptomatic relief of the disorder. Certain embodiments also employ a sensing capability for optimizing the therapeutic treatment regimen.
157 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for treating a mood disorder, the system comprising:
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a programmable neurostimulation controller;
a first therapy delivery device adapted for coupling to said controller and for coupling to a cranial nerve of a patient suffering from a mood disorder; and
a second therapy delivery device adapted for coupling to said controller and adapted for coupling to a volume of neural tissue in an area of the patient'"'"'s brain wherein said area is 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, wherein said controller is adapted for causing a first therapeutic signal to be applied to the cranial nerve by the first therapy delivery device, and said controller is adapted for applying a second therapeutic signal to said brain area by said second therapy delivery device, wherein said application of said first and second therapeutic signals causes modulation of electrical activity in the brain area correlatable to alleviation of a symptom of a mood disorder in a patient, when said system is used for the stated purpose. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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- 4. The system of 1 wherein said first therapeutic signal comprises at least a first acute stimulation component and a first chronic stimulation component, each of said first acute and chronic stimulation components comprising a set of electrical parameters, on/off times and duration.
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11. A system for treating a mood disorder, the system comprising:
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a programmable neurostimulation controller;
a first electrode adapted for coupling to said controller and for coupling to a cranial nerve of a patient suffering from the mood disorder; and
a second electrode adapted for coupling to said controller, adapted for coupling to a volume of neural tissue in an area of the patient'"'"'s brain, and adapted for sensing at least one biological parameter of said neural tissue that is indicative of a present state of said brain area, wherein said controller is adapted for causing a first electrical signal to be applied to the cranial nerve by said first electrode, and said controller is adapted for receiving and processing a sensed present state from said second electrode, to produce an indication of whether said first electrical signal caused modulation of neuronal activity in said brain area, wherein a predetermined neuronal activity in said brain area is correlatable to at least one symptom of a mood disorder. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. An adaptive brain stimulation system for treating a mood disorder, the system comprising:
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at least one sensor adapted for coupling to a sensing site in a patient suffering from a mood disorder and adapted for sensing at least one biological parameter at said site that is indicative of a present state of at least a first brain region or set of brain regions and a second brain region or set of brain regions of said patient;
at least one stimulating circuit adapted for coupling with 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 coupled 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 said at least one stimulating circuit adapted for being adjusted according to the outcome of said comparing of said present and reference states, to control said stimulation parameters. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A system for treating a mood disorder, the system comprising:
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a programmable neurostimulation controller; and
a therapy delivery device adapted for coupling to said controller and adapted for coupling to a volume of neural tissue in an area of the brain of a person suffering from a mood disorder, wherein said area is chosen from the group consisting of insula, brain stem, cerebellum, and white matter tracts leading to an aforementioned area, wherein said controller is adapted for causing a first therapeutic stimulation signal to be provided to said therapy delivery device to thereby cause neuronal activity of an area of the person'"'"'s brain to be modified and thereby alleviate a symptom of the mood disorder. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification