Controlling a subject's susceptibility to a seizure

• US 7,623,928 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Original Assignee: NeuroVista Corporation
• Inventors: DiLorenzo, Daniel John
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US11/743,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20070208212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607 39- 49, 607/58, 607/59, 607/72, 607/73, 607/74, 600/544, 600/545
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1101 Detecting tremor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4082 Diagnosing or monitoring movement diseases, e.g. Parkinson, Huntington or Tourette
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6864 Burr holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6868 Brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0539 Anchoring of brain electrode systems, e.g. within burr hole
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36064 Epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36067 Movement disorders, e.g. tremor or Parkinson disease stimulating motor muscle A61N1/36003
• 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 1/36139 : with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 : Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 : from an external energy source

Abstract

A neurological control system for modulating activity of any component or structure comprising the entirety or portion of the nervous system, or any structure interfaced thereto, generally referred to herein as a “nervous system component.” The neurological control system generates neural modulation signals delivered to a nervous system component through one or more neuromodulators to control neurological state and prevent neurological signs and symptoms. Such treatment parameters may be derived from a neural response to previously delivered neural modulation signals sensed by one or more sensors, each configured to sense a particular characteristic indicative of a neurological or psychiatric condition.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a subject'"'"'s susceptibility to a seizure, the method comprising:

determining a subject'"'"'s neural state, said neural state representing an estimate based on a sensed electrical signal from the subject of the subject'"'"'s susceptibility to a seizure prior to the subject'"'"'s progression to clinical seizure; and

delivering a therapy to maintain the subject'"'"'s neural state within a target range, said target range being within a normal range.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject'"'"'s normal range substantially corresponds to a patient'"'"'s inter-ictal state and the target range corresponds to a control range subset within the inter-ictal state.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the subject'"'"'s susceptibility to a seizure comprises receiving an EEG signal from the subject and extracting parameters from the EEG signal that are indicative of the subject'"'"'s susceptibility to the seizure.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering the therapy comprises delivering stimulation to the subject'"'"'s brain.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering the therapy comprises stimulating a peripheral nerve of the subject.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivery of therapy comprises administering a drug or chemical agent.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein administering the drug or chemical agent is performed with an implanted dispenser.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering the therapy comprises administering a cooling therapy.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the cooling therapy is performed with a heat sink that removes thermal energy from the subject.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the target range is constant over time.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the target range varies over time.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering the therapy occurs before a seizure occurs.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein delivering the therapy occurs before a precursor to a seizure occurs.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering the therapy comprises delivering the therapy in the absence of physical or neurological signs of a seizure.

15. A method of controlling a subject'"'"'s susceptibility to a seizure, the method comprising:

determining a subject'"'"'s neural state, said neural state representing an estimate based on a sensed electrical signal from the subject of the subject'"'"'s susceptibility to a seizure prior to the subject'"'"'s progression to clinical seizure; and

delivering a therapy to prevent the subject'"'"'s neural state from entering a critical range in which the subject has an elevated susceptibility to the seizure.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the critical range is constant over time.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the critical range is time-varying.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the critical range is indicative of a pre-ictal state.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein delivering the therapy prevents the occurrence of the seizure.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein delivering the therapy prevents the occurrence of a precursor to the seizure.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein delivering the therapy maintains the subject'"'"'s susceptibility within a normal range.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein delivering the therapy maintains the subject'"'"'s susceptibility within a control range, said control range being within the normal range.

23. A method for a treatment of epilepsy, the method comprising:

sensing one or more signals from a patient;

processing the one or more signals to measure a patient'"'"'s neural state;

determining a therapy that will maintain the patient'"'"'s neural state in or drive the patient'"'"'s neural state toward a neural state range in which the patient has a low probability of having a seizure based on said sensed signals; and

initiating delivery of the therapy to the patient to maintain the patient'"'"'s neural state in or to drive the patient'"'"'s neural state toward a neural state range in which the patient has a low probability of having a seizure based on said sensed signals.