Treatment of disorders by unidirectional nerve stimulation
First Claim
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1. A method for treating a condition of a subject, comprising:
- driving into longitudinal nervous tissue of the subject a stimulating current at a first longitudinal location which is capable of inducing action potentials that propagate in the nervous tissue in a first direction which action potentials include slower and faster action potentials; and
suppressing the slower action potentials from propagating in the nervous tissue in the first direction by applying a blocking current at a second longitudinal location after a delay following driving the stimulating current, and timing the delay to allow passage of the faster action potentials, while suppressing the slower action potentials,wherein the longitudinal nervous tissue includes at least one nerve selected from the group consisting of;
a sympathetic nerve of the subject, and a parasympathetic nerve of the subject.
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Abstract
Apparatus (18) for treating a condition of a subject is provided. An electrode device (100) is adapted to be coupled to longitudinal nervous tissue (40) of the subject, and a control unit (50) is adapted to drive the electrode device to apply to the nervous tissue a current which is capable of inducing action potentials that propagate in the nervous tissue in a first direction, so as to treat the condition. The control unit is further adapted to suppress action potentials from propagating in the nervous tissue in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for treating a condition of a subject, comprising:
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driving into longitudinal nervous tissue of the subject a stimulating current at a first longitudinal location which is capable of inducing action potentials that propagate in the nervous tissue in a first direction which action potentials include slower and faster action potentials; and suppressing the slower action potentials from propagating in the nervous tissue in the first direction by applying a blocking current at a second longitudinal location after a delay following driving the stimulating current, and timing the delay to allow passage of the faster action potentials, while suppressing the slower action potentials, wherein the longitudinal nervous tissue includes at least one nerve selected from the group consisting of;
a sympathetic nerve of the subject, and a parasympathetic nerve of the subject. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification