SELECTIVE NEUROSTIMULATION FOR TREATING EPILEPSY
First Claim
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1. A method of treating an individual suffering from epilepsy, the method comprising:
- coupling a first stimulator to a stimulation site comprising a volume of neural tissue in an area of the individual'"'"'s brain selected from the group consisting of insula, subcallosal area, cingulate, thalamus, prefrontal cerebral cortex, mesial temporal lobe, cerebellum, hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, brain stem, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, frontal lobe, parietal lobe, Wernicke'"'"'s area, area tempestas, basal ganglia, globus pallidus, superior colliculus, stratum, ventral striatum, ventral pallidum, caudate nucleus, putamen, nucleus accumbens, substantia nigra, ventral tegmentum, Brodmann areas 24, 25, 32, piriform cortex, ventricular region, ventral pallidum, and forebrain circumventricular organs, reticulate substantia innominata, rostral midbrain, red nucleus, periaqueductal gray, and white matter tracts leading to an aforementioned area or nucleus;
coupling a second stimulator to a site on the vagus nerve of the individual;
applying a first stimulation signal to said first stimulator such that said first stimulation signal causes modulation of the neuronal activity of neural tissue in said selected area of the brain; and
applying a second stimulation signal to said second stimulator such that said second stimulation signal causes modulation of the neuronal activity in said vagus nerve, wherein said combination of modulations attenuate at least one epilepsy symptom and/or deter recurrence of an epileptic event.
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Abstract
A method and device for treating epilepsy are disclosed which provide for electrical, chemical or magnetic stimulation of certain areas of the brain to modulate neuronal activity of areas associated with symptoms of epilepsy. Deep brain stimulation is combined with vagus nerve stimulation to enhance symptomatic relief of the disorder. Some embodiments also employ a sensing capability to optimize the therapeutic treatment regimen.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of treating an individual suffering from epilepsy, the method comprising:
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coupling a first stimulator to a stimulation site comprising a volume of neural tissue in an area of the individual'"'"'s brain selected from the group consisting of insula, subcallosal area, cingulate, thalamus, prefrontal cerebral cortex, mesial temporal lobe, cerebellum, hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, brain stem, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, frontal lobe, parietal lobe, Wernicke'"'"'s area, area tempestas, basal ganglia, globus pallidus, superior colliculus, stratum, ventral striatum, ventral pallidum, caudate nucleus, putamen, nucleus accumbens, substantia nigra, ventral tegmentum, Brodmann areas 24, 25, 32, piriform cortex, ventricular region, ventral pallidum, and forebrain circumventricular organs, reticulate substantia innominata, rostral midbrain, red nucleus, periaqueductal gray, and white matter tracts leading to an aforementioned area or nucleus; coupling a second stimulator to a site on the vagus nerve of the individual; applying a first stimulation signal to said first stimulator such that said first stimulation signal causes modulation of the neuronal activity of neural tissue in said selected area of the brain; and applying a second stimulation signal to said second stimulator such that said second stimulation signal causes modulation of the neuronal activity in said vagus nerve, wherein said combination of modulations attenuate at least one epilepsy symptom and/or deter recurrence of an epileptic event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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9. The method of claim I wherein said area of the individuals brain comprises a portion of the cingulate gyrus comprising the anterior cingulate or the posterior cingulate.
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18-24. -24. (canceled)
Specification