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Peltier unidirectional and selective nerve stimulation

  • US 7,761,168 B2
  • Filed: 07/13/2006
  • Issued: 07/20/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2006
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. Apparatus comprising:

  • an assembly, which comprises;

    a housing configured to be applied to a nerve of a subject; and

    at least one cathode and at least one Peltier cooler, which are fixed to the housing; and

    a control unit, which is configured to drive;

    the cathode to apply an activating current to the nerve that generates action potentials traveling in first and second directions in the nerve, andthe Peltier cooler to cool the nerve sufficiently to block propagation of at least a portion of the cathode-generated action potentials traveling in the second direction,wherein the nerve contains smaller- and larger-diameter fibers, and wherein the control unit is configured to drive the Peltier cooler to cool the nerve sufficiently to block the propagation of the portion of the cathode-generated action potentials traveling in the smaller-diameter fibers.

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