System and method of treating stuttering by neuromodulation
First Claim
1. A method for therapeutically treating stuttering in a patient having a vocal fold, comprising:
- delivering a drug using a pump and at least one catheter having a proximal end coupled to the pump and having a discharge end adjacent to a predetermined site in the brain selected from a group consisting of the supplementary motor area, the centromedian circuit, the dorsomedial nuclei, the lateral prefrontal circuit, the red nucleus, the habenulointerpeduncular tract, the prerubral area, the zona incerta, the thalamic primary sensory relay nuclei, the parafasicular nucleus, and the intralaminar nucleus;
generating a signal responsive to activity of the patient'"'"'s speech-producing muscles using a sensor positioned near the vocal fold of the patient; and
regulating dosage of the drug using a controller in response to the signal from the sensor to reduce activity, corresponding to stuttering, of the patient'"'"'s speech-producing muscles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Stuttering-treatment techniques using neural stimulation and/or drug delivery. One or more electrodes and/or a catheter are implanted adjacent to sites in the brain. A signal generator and the electrode deliver stimulation to a first site. A pump and the catheter deliver one or more therapeutic drugs to a second site. The first and second sites could be: the supplementary motor area, the centromedian circuit, the dorsomedial nuclei, the lateral prefrontal circuit, or other paramedian thalamic and midbrain nuclei. The stuttering treatment could be performed via periodic transcranial magnetic stimulation. A sensor, located near the patient'"'"'s vocal folds, can be used for generating a signal responsive to activity of the patient'"'"'s speech-producing muscles. A controller adjusts one or more stimulation parameters in response to the signal from the sensor.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for therapeutically treating stuttering in a patient having a vocal fold, comprising:
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delivering a drug using a pump and at least one catheter having a proximal end coupled to the pump and having a discharge end adjacent to a predetermined site in the brain selected from a group consisting of the supplementary motor area, the centromedian circuit, the dorsomedial nuclei, the lateral prefrontal circuit, the red nucleus, the habenulointerpeduncular tract, the prerubral area, the zona incerta, the thalamic primary sensory relay nuclei, the parafasicular nucleus, and the intralaminar nucleus; generating a signal responsive to activity of the patient'"'"'s speech-producing muscles using a sensor positioned near the vocal fold of the patient; and regulating dosage of the drug using a controller in response to the signal from the sensor to reduce activity, corresponding to stuttering, of the patient'"'"'s speech-producing muscles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for therapeutically treating stuttering in a patient having a vocal fold comprising:
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delivering a drug using a pump and at least one catheter having a proximal end coupled to the pump and having a discharge end adjacent to a predetermined site in the brain selected from a group consisting of the supplementary motor area, the centromedian circuit, the dorsomedial nuclei, the lateral prefrontal circuit, the red nucleus, the habenulointerpeduncular tract, the prerubral area, the zona incerta, the thalamic primary sensory relay nuclei, the parafasicular nucleus, and the intralaminar nucleus; generating a signal indicative of speech-producing muscle activity of the patient using a sensor positioned near the vocal fold of the patient; and regulating dosage of the drug using a controller responsive to the signal from the sensor to reduce activity, corresponding to stuttering, of the patient'"'"'s speech-producing muscles.
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10. A method for therapeutically treating stuttering in a patient comprising:
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delivering at least one drug using a pump and at least one catheter having a proximal end coupled to the pump and having a discharge end adjacent to a predetermined drug delivery site in the brain selected from a group consisting of the supplementary motor area, the centromedian circuit, the dorsomedial nuclei, the lateral prefrontal circuit, the red nucleus, the habenulointerpeduncular tract, the prerubral area, the zona incerta, the thalamic primary sensory relay nuclei, the parafasicular nucleus, and the intralaminar nucleus; regulating drug dosage using a controller responsive to circadian rhythms to reduce stuttering, wherein the regulating comprises; discharging the at least one drug to the predetermined site at a first rate at times when the patient is expected to be awake, and discharging the at least one drug to the predetermined site at a second rate when the patient is expected to be asleep, the second rate being reduced relative to the first rate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for therapeutically treating stuttering in a patient having a vocal fold comprising:
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delivering a drug using a pump and at least one catheter having a proximal end coupled to the pump and a discharge end adjacent to a predetermined drug delivery site in the brain selected from a group consisting of the supplementary motor area, the centromedian circuit, the dorsomedial nuclei, the lateral prefrontal circuit, the red nucleus, the habenulointerpeduncular tract, the prerubral area, the zona incerta, the thalamic primary sensory relay nuclei, the parafasicular nucleus, and the intralaminar nucleus; delivering electrical stimulation to at least one predetermined electrical stimulation site of the patient'"'"'s brain using a signal generator and at least one implantable lead coupled to the signal generator; generating a signal indicative of activity of the patient'"'"'s speech-producing muscles using a sensor located in proximity to the vocal fold of the patient; and using a controller to adjust at least one stimulation parameter of the electrical stimulation in response to the signal. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification