Method and System for Determining Settings for Deep Brain Stimulation

• US 20120303089A1
• Filed: 02/02/2011
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Bakken Research Center B.V. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Sapiens Steering Brain Stimulation B.V. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Martens, Hubert Cécile François, Decré, Michel Marcel Jose, Dolan, Kevin Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,265,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36185 Selection of the electrode configuration

Abstract

A method and control system for determining and applying stimulation settings for a brain stimulation probe (10, 12) is provided. The brain stimulation probe (10, 12) comprises a plurality of stimulation electrodes (11). The method comprises for multiple stimulation electrodes (11) of the plurality of stimulation electrodes (11): applying a test current and determining a corresponding patient response, determining a volume of influence based (32, 52, 71, 91) on the test current and a position of the stimulation electrode (11), combining the volume of influence (32, 52, 71, 91) and the corresponding patient response with generalized anatomic knowledge of stimulation induced behavior for associating the volume of influence (32, 52, 71, 91) to an anatomic structure (33, 43, 53), and determining an intersection (41, 51) of the volume of influence (32, 52, 71, 91) and the associated anatomic structure (33, 43, 53). Then, based on the determined intersections (41, 51) an optimal stimulation volume and corresponding stimulation settings for the brain stimulation probe (10, 12) are determined.

Claims

1. A method for determining stimulation settings for a brain stimulation probe, the brain stimulation probe comprising a plurality of stimulation electrodes, the method comprising:

for multiple stimulation electrodes of the plurality of stimulation electrodes;

applying a test current and determining a corresponding patient response, determining a volume of influence based on the test current and a position of the stimulation electrode;

combining the volume of influence and the corresponding patient response with generalized anatomic knowledge of stimulation induced behavior for associating the volume of influence to an anatomic structure;

determining an intersection of the volume of influence and the associated anatomic structure; and

determining an optimal stimulation volume and corresponding stimulation settings for the brain stimulation probe based on the determined intersections.

2. A method for determining stimulation settings for a brain stimulation probe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generalized anatomic knowledge of stimulation induced behavior comprises an anatomic atlas with 3D anatomic positions of the stimulation induced behavior.

3. A method for determining stimulation settings for a brain stimulation probe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generalized anatomic knowledge of stimulation induced behavior comprises a database comprising relations between anatomic structures and stimulation induced behavior.

4. A method for determining stimulation settings for a brain stimulation probe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corresponding patient response is determined using an accelerometer or EMG data.

5. A method for determining stimulation settings for a brain stimulation probe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corresponding patient response is determined using observation report data provided by an observer.

6. A method for determining stimulation settings for a brain stimulation probe as claimed in claim 1, further comprising showing a graphical representation of the probe, an anatomic region in which the probe is situated and the intersections.

7. A method for determining stimulation settings for a brain stimulation probe as claimed in claim 6, further comprising showing a graphical representation of the volumes of influence and the associated anatomic structures.

8. A computer program product for determining stimulation settings for a brain stimulation probe, which program is operative to cause a processor to perform the method as claimed in claim 1.

9. A control system for determining stimulation settings for a brain stimulation probe, the brain stimulation probe comprising a plurality of stimulation electrodes, the control system comprising:

means for applying test currents to the stimulation electrodes,

means for obtaining patient responses corresponding to the applied test currents, and

a processor being arranged for;

determining volumes of influence based on the test currents and positions of the corresponding stimulation electrodes,

combining the volumes of influence and the corresponding patient responses with generalized anatomic knowledge of stimulation induced behavior for associating the volumes of influence to anatomic structures,

determining intersections of the volumes of influence and the associated anatomic structures, and

determining an optimal stimulation volume and corresponding stimulation settings for the brain stimulation probe based on the determined intersections.