Method for Improving Functional Recovery After Stroke by Electrical Stimulation of a Cranial Nerve

• US 20100069995A1
• Filed: 09/11/2009
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co., Trifectas Medical Corp.
• Original Assignee: Trifectas Medical Corp.
• Inventors: Danielsson, Ingela
• Granted Patent: US 9,079,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36117 for treating hypertension

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a method for improving functional recovery after cerebro-vascular accidents, such as strokes, in humans and animals comprises stimulating a cranial nerve with electrical current. According to some embodiments, a method for improving functional recovery after stroke in a human or animal in need thereof comprises applying to the cranial nerve of the human or animal a stimulating electrical signal that causes neurophysiological, morphological, chemical, or neuronal connective alteration in the brain, where the alteration changes neural function in the brain so as to change functional recovery and functional dynamics in the human or animal. According to some embodiments, a method for improving functional recovery after stroke in a human or animal in need thereof comprises applying to a first cranial nerve a first stimulating electrical signal optimized so as to promote stroke recovery. The method may further comprise applying to one or more of the first cranial nerve and a second cranial nerve a second stimulating electrical signal optimized so as to control a concomitant dysfunction.

Claims

1. A method for improving functional recovery after stroke in a human or animal in need thereof, said method comprising:

(a) applying to a first cranial nerve a first stimulating signal optimized so as to promote stroke recovery; and

(b) applying to one or more of a first cranial nerve and a second cranial nerve a second stimulating signal optimized so as to control a concomitant dysfunction.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the concomitant dysfunction is one or more dysfunction selected from the group consisting of high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, post-stroke mood disorder, coma, post-stroke epilepsy, and non-stroke induced swallowing dysfunction.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first stimulating signal and the second stimulating signal alternate.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first stimulating signal and second stimulating signal are applied to opposite vagus nerves.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein promotion of stroke recovery is evidenced by improvements to one or more factors selected from the group consisting of motor strength, fine motor movements, sensory, balance, swallowing, thalamic pain, language, memory, visual function, and continence.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the first stimulating signal and the second stimulating signal is applied on demand.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the concomitant dysfunction comprises immune dysfunction.

8. A method for improving functional recovery after stroke in a human or animal in need thereof, said method comprising:

applying to a cranial nerve of a human or animal a stimulating signal that causes neurophysiological, morphological, chemical, or neuronal connective alteration in the brain,

wherein the alteration changes a neural function in the brain so as to change functional stroke recovery in the human or animal.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method comprises producing the stimulating signal with a stimulus generator implanted within the body of the human or animal.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the cranial nerve is a first vagus nerve, and wherein the method further comprising applying a second stimulating signal to an opposite vagus nerve.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first vagus nerve is stimulated to promote stroke recovery and the opposite vagus nerve is stimulated to control a concomitant dysfunction.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the concomitant dysfunction is one or more dysfunction selected from the group consisting of high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, post-stroke mood disorder, coma, post-stroke epilepsy, and non-stroke induced swallowing dysfunction.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein one or both of the first stimulating signal and the second stimulating signal is applied on demand.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the stimulating signal comprises a plurality of pulse trains.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein a frequency of the plurality of pulse trains changes between each pulse train.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein a frequency of the plurality of pulse trains changes for each pulse train.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein an output of the plurality of pulse trains changes during the pulse train.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein an output of the plurality of pulse trains changes between each pulse train.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the pulse trains are delivered during specified times of the day.

20. The method according to claim 8, wherein the stimulating signal increases morphological and neurophysiological recovery.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the morphological and neurophysiological recovery aid one or more function selected from the group consisting of brain repair, neurogenesis, rewiring, and functional dynamics of intrabrain networking.

22. The method according to claim 8, wherein the stimulating signal increases a collateral blood flow in the brain.

23. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting one or more condition selected from the group consisting of high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, and post-stroke epilepsy.

24. A method for improving functional recovery after stroke in a human or animal in need thereof, said method comprising:

applying to a first cranial nerve a first stimulating signal optimized so as to promote stroke recovery.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein promotion of stroke recovery is evidenced by one or more improvements selected from the group consisting of motor strength, fine motor movements, sensory, balance, swallowing, thalamic pain, language, memory, visual function, and continence.

26. The method according to claim 24 wherein the first stimulating signal is applied on demand.