Systems and methods for treating patient hypertonicity
First Claim
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1. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
- identifying a cortical target neural population of the brain associated with hypertonicity in a patient; and
reducing or eliminating patient hypertonicity by applying electromagnetic signals to the target neural population.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for treating patient hypertonicity are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment includes identifying a cortical target neural population associated with hypertonicity in a patient, and reducing or eliminating patient hypertonicity by applying electromagnetic signals to the target neural population. In further particular embodiments, the electromagnetic signals are first electromagnetic signals, and the method can further include reducing or eliminating an additional patient dysfunction by applying second electromagnetic signals.
155 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
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identifying a cortical target neural population of the brain associated with hypertonicity in a patient; and reducing or eliminating patient hypertonicity by applying electromagnetic signals to the target neural population. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
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identifying a target neural population at a cortical location of a patient'"'"'s brain, the target neural population being associated with hypertonicity in the patient; implanting an electrical signal delivery device beneath the patient'"'"'s skull and proximate to the target neural population; and reducing or eliminating patient hypertonicity by applying anodal electrical signals to the target neural population to stimulate upper motor neurons that in turn inhibit lower alpha motor neurons with which the upper motor neurons are synaptically coupled. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
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identifying a target neural population of the central nervous system associated with hypertonicity in a patient; reducing or eliminating patient hypertonicity by applying first electromagnetic signals to the target neural population in accordance with a first set of signal delivery parameters; and applying second electromagnetic signals in accordance with a second set of signal delivery parameters different than the first set of signal delivery parameters to an area of the central nervous system to reduce or eliminate an additional patient dysfunction. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A patient treatment system, comprising:
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a signal delivery device configured to deliver electromagnetic signals to a cortical brain structure of a patient; a sensor coupleable to the patient, the sensor being configured to detect an indication of incipient or actual patient hypertonicity; and a controller coupled to the signal delivery device and the sensor to receive sensor signals corresponding to the indication, and direct the delivery of electromagnetic signals to the patient, based at least in part on the sensor signals. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification