METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR STIMULATING A MOTOR CORTEX OF THE BRAIN TO TREAT A MEDICAL CONDITION

• US 20100114192A1
• Filed: 01/11/2010
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Carbunaru, Rafael, Jaax, Kristen N., Whitehurst, Todd K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula

Abstract

Methods of treating a medical condition include applying at least one stimulus to a motor cortex within a brain of a patient with an implanted system control unit in accordance with one or more stimulation parameters. Systems for treating a medical condition include a system control unit implanted within the patient that is configured to apply at least one stimulus to a motor cortex within a brain of a patient in accordance with one or more stimulation parameters.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A method of treating a patient with a headache, comprising:

generating a stimulus in accordance with one or more stimulation parameters; and

extradurally applying said stimulus to a motor cortex within a brain of said patient, thereby treating said headache.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising sensing at least one indicator related to said headache and using said at least one sensed indicator to adjust said one or more stimulation parameters.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said stimulus comprises electrical stimulation.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said one or more stimulation parameters includes one or more of a frequency, a pulse width, a duty cycle, a burst pattern, and an amplitude.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein said stimulus comprises a drug infusion.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said one or more stimulation parameters includes one or more of an amount of drug infusion, a rate of drug infusion, and a frequency of drug infusion.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said system control unit is a microstimulator.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said microstimulator is implanted within a hole formed in a skull of said patient.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said microstimulator comprises a capsule, and one or both of electrical circuitry and a drug pump contained within said capsule.

28-1. The method of claim 23, wherein said stimulus is generated by a system control unit implanted within said patient.