Bulimia treatment
First Claim
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1. A method for treating bulimia comprising:
- positioning an electrode on a vagus nerve at a site below a vagal innervation of a heart of a patient having bulimia, with the nerve innervating at least one of a plurality of alimentary tract organs; and
treating the patient'"'"'s bulimia by applying an electrical signal to the electrode, wherein the electrical signal is selected to a) at least in part, downregulate neural activity on the vagus nerve;
b) allow at least partial restoration of nerve activity following discontinuation of application of the signal to the nerve; and
c) have a frequency of at least 500 Hz;
wherein the electrical signal is applied without simultaneously applying an electrical signal that upregulates afferent neural activity.
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Abstract
At least one of a plurality of disorders of a patient characterized at least in part by vagal activity innervating at least one of a plurality of organs of the patient is treated by a method that includes positioning an electrode on a vagus nerve. An electrical signal is applied to the electrode to modulate vagal activity by an amount selected to treat the disorder. In some embodiments, the disorder is bulimia. The signal may be a blocking or a stimulation signal. In some embodiments, the signal is selected to, at least in part, downregulate neural activity on the vagus nerve.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for treating bulimia comprising:
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positioning an electrode on a vagus nerve at a site below a vagal innervation of a heart of a patient having bulimia, with the nerve innervating at least one of a plurality of alimentary tract organs; and treating the patient'"'"'s bulimia by applying an electrical signal to the electrode, wherein the electrical signal is selected to a) at least in part, downregulate neural activity on the vagus nerve;
b) allow at least partial restoration of nerve activity following discontinuation of application of the signal to the nerve; and
c) have a frequency of at least 500 Hz;
wherein the electrical signal is applied without simultaneously applying an electrical signal that upregulates afferent neural activity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification