NERVE STIMULATION METHODS FOR AVERTING IMMINENT ONSET OR EPISODE OF A DISEASE
First Claim
1. A device for treating a disorder in a patient comprising:
- a housing having an electrically permeable or conducting contact surface for contacting an outer skin surface of the patient; and
an energy source within the housing configured to transmit an electric current through the outer skin surface of the patient to a vagus nerve within the patient, wherein the electric current is sufficient to generate an electric field between about 10 to 600 V/m at the vagus nerve above a threshold for generating action potentials within fibers of the vagus nerve responsible for activating neural pathways causing suppression of excitatory neurotransmitters within a brain of the patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for treating a variety of diseases and disorders that are primarily or at least partially driven by an imbalance in neurotransmitters in the brain, such as asthma, COPD, depression, anxiety, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, and the like. The invention involves the use of an energy source comprising magnetic and/or electrical energy that is transmitted non-invasively to, or in close proximity to, a selected nerve to temporarily stimulate, block and/or modulate the signals in the selected nerve such that neural pathways are activated to release inhibitory neurotransmitters in the patient'"'"'s brain.
33 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A device for treating a disorder in a patient comprising:
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a housing having an electrically permeable or conducting contact surface for contacting an outer skin surface of the patient; and an energy source within the housing configured to transmit an electric current through the outer skin surface of the patient to a vagus nerve within the patient, wherein the electric current is sufficient to generate an electric field between about 10 to 600 V/m at the vagus nerve above a threshold for generating action potentials within fibers of the vagus nerve responsible for activating neural pathways causing suppression of excitatory neurotransmitters within a brain of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A device for treating a disorder in a patient comprising:
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a housing having an electrically permeable or conducting contact surface for contacting an outer skin surface of the patient; and an energy source within the housing configured to transmit an electric current through the outer skin surface of the patient to a vagus nerve within the patient, wherein the electric current is sufficient to generate an electrical field gradient at the vagus nerve greater than 2 V/m/mm above a threshold for generating action potentials within fibers of the vagus nerve responsible for activating neural pathways causing suppression of excitatory neurotransmitters within a brain of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29)
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Specification