Treatment of language, behavior and social disorders

• US 20080077191A1
• Filed: 09/21/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neuropace Inc.
• Original Assignee: Neuropace Inc.
• Inventors: Morrell, Martha J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,162,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/37 Intracranial electroencephalography [IC-EEG], e.g. electrocorticography [ECoG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/372 Analysis of electroencephalograms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6868 Brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0539 Anchoring of brain electrode systems, e.g. within burr hole
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36135 using physiological parameters

Abstract

Methods of treating language, behavioral and social disorders are described, including methods of treating language disorders associated with electrographic abnormalities in the primary or associative language cortex of persons with autism spectrum disorders, pervasive developmental delay or acquired epileptic aphasia. A language, behavioral and social disorder may be treated by detecting epileptiform activity or an electrographic seizure for a subject'"'"'s brain and applying neurostimulation to a language cortical region of the subject'"'"'s brain (e.g., a primary or associative language cortical region). Detection of epileptiform activity or an electrographic seizure and stimulation of language cortex may be performed by a sensing and/or stimulation electrode that is inserted into a subject'"'"'s brain and connected to one or more neurostimulation devices for monitoring and/or stimulating the language cortex.

Claims

1. A method of treating a language disorder in a subject in need thereof, comprising:

detecting epileptiform activity or an electrographic seizure in a subject'"'"'s brain; and

applying neurostimulation to a primary or associative language cortical region in response to the epileptiform activity or an electrographic seizure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject in need thereof is a subject having an autism spectrum disorder, pervasive developmental delay or acquired epileptic aphasia.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein applying neurostimulation comprises applying neurostimulation to a region of the primary or associative language cortical region of the brain coincident with the epileptiform activity or an electrographic seizure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting epileptiform activity or an electrographic seizure comprises detecting the activity from at least one electrode implanted in the brain.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one electrode used to detect the epileptiform activity or an electrographic seizure is also used to apply neurostimulation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting epileptiform activity or an electrographic seizure comprises analyzing the subject'"'"'s EEG.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying neurostimulation to a second brain region in response to the epileptiform activity or an electrographic seizure.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second brain region comprises a second cortical region.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second brain region comprises the cingulate gyrus.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying neurostimulation to a primary or associative language cortical region at scheduled intervals.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the scheduled interval of neurostimulation is when the subject is sleeping.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising implanting an electrode configured to detect epileptiform activity or an electrographic seizure in the subject.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein implanting the electrode comprises implanting the electrode adjacent to a primary or associative language cortical region of the subject'"'"'s brain.

14. A method of treating an autism-related language disorder in a subject in need thereof, comprising:

receiving electrical signals corresponding to a subject'"'"'s neural electrical activity;

detecting epileptiform activity or an electrographic seizure from the received electrical signals; and

applying neurostimulation to a primary or associative language cortical region of the subject'"'"'s frontal lobe in response to the epileptiform activity or an electrographic seizure.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving electrical signals corresponding to electrical activity of a subject'"'"'s brain comprises receiving electrical signals from electrode implanted in the subject'"'"'s brain.