NEUROSTIMULATOR INVOLVING STIMULATION STRATEGIES AND PROCESS FOR USING IT

• US 20110213442A1
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neuropace Inc.
• Original Assignee: Neuropace Inc.
• Inventors: Pless, Benjamin D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,412,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36064 Epilepsy
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36178 Burst or pulse train parameters

Abstract

This is a neurostimulator that is configured to treat epilepsy and other neurological disorders using certain stimulation strategies, particularly changing various pulse parameters, during the imposition of a burst of those pulses. The invention includes the processes embodying those stimulation strategies.

Claims

1. A method for treating an abnormal neurological condition comprising:

detecting an electrical signal in brain tissue prior to initiating application of at least one electrical burst;

determining an interval of the electrical signal in the brain tissue prior to initiating the application of the at least one electrical burst; and

delaying initiation of the application of the at least one electrical burst after the onset of the detected electrical signal for a period of time corresponding to a range of between 5% and about 100% of the interval of the electrical signal.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising again detecting an electrical signal in the brain tissue after the application of the at least one electrical burst and analyzing the again-detected electrical signal for epileptiform activity.

3. A method for treating an abnormal neurological condition comprising:

detecting electrical activity of brain tissue wherein the detected electrical activity is characterized by at least one detected parameter;

applying at least one burst of electrical stimulation, wherein the at least one burst comprises a plurality of pulses and is characterized by at least one burst parameter;

varying at least one of the burst parameters during at least a portion of the time the at least one burst of stimulation is applied based on the timing of the at least one detected parameter.

4. The method of claim 3 further including varying at least one of the burst parameters based on the timing of the at least one detected parameter relative to the timing of the application of the at least one burst.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the at least one detected parameter is a pulse-to-pulse interval and the method further includes varying at least one of the burst parameters based on the detected pulse-to-pulse interval.

6. A method for treating an abnormal neurological condition comprising:

detecting electrical activity of brain tissue wherein the detected electrical activity is characterized by at least one detected parameter;

applying at least one burst of electrical stimulation, wherein the at least one burst comprises a plurality of pulses and is characterized by at least one burst parameter and the at least one burst is applied at a time that is synchronized to the time at which the at least one detected parameter is detected; and

varying at least one of the burst parameters during at least a portion of the time the at least one burst of stimulation is applied.

7. A method for treating an abnormal neurological condition comprising:

detecting a rate of electrical activity in signals sensed from brain tissue;

identifying an interval corresponding to the detected rate;

applying at least one burst of electrical stimulation to the brain tissue, wherein the at least one burst comprises a plurality of pulses and is characterized by at least one burst parameter and at the at least one burst is applied based on detection of the interval; and

varying at least one of the burst parameters during at least a portion of the time the at least one burst of stimulation is applied.