Electrical stimulation based on phase response mapping

• US 8,099,170 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Jensen, Steven L., Nelson, Dwight E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US12/727,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20110230936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 607/62
• US Class Current: 607/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• 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 1/36139 with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters

Abstract

This disclosure describes techniques for delivering electrical stimulation at one or more phases relative to an ongoing oscillating signal in a patient, and then mapping the response to the oscillating signal. The techniques may reduce or eliminate the oscillating signal. In one example, the disclosure is directed to a method that includes delivering a set of first electrical stimulation at a plurality of phases relative to an oscillating signal, measuring a response in the oscillating signal to the set of first electrical stimulation after delivering electrical stimulation at each respective phase of the plurality of phases, determining a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses, and delivering the second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined phase to produce a therapeutic effect.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

delivering a set of first electrical stimulation at a plurality of phases relative to an oscillating signal;

after delivering the set of first electrical stimulation at each respective phase of the plurality of phases, measuring a response in the oscillating signal to the set of first electrical stimulation;

determining a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses; and

delivering the second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined phase to produce a therapeutic effect.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of first electrical stimulation is a first set of first electrical stimulation, the method further comprising:

after determining a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured response, delivering a second set of first electrical stimulation at the determined phase and at a plurality of amplitudes and durations;

after delivering the second set of first electrical stimulation at the determined phase and at each respective amplitude of the plurality of amplitudes, measuring a response in the oscillating signal to the second set of first electrical stimulation;

determining an amplitude of the second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses,

wherein delivering second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined phase further comprises delivering second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined amplitude.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring a response to the set of first electrical stimulation comprises one or more of measuring a change in a phase response map, measuring a phase, measuring a period, and measuring an amplitude of the oscillating signal after delivering the first electrical stimulation at each respective phase of the plurality of phases.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

mapping each measured response in the oscillating signal to the corresponding first electrical stimulation; and

storing the mapping in a memory device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses comprises:

determining, from the mapping, a transition region between first electrical stimulation that causes a delay in a phase of the oscillating signal and first electrical stimulation that causes an advance in a phase of the oscillating signal; and

delivering the second electrical stimulation to the patient at a phase within the transition region.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein determining a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses comprises:

determining, from the mapping, a transition region between first electrical stimulation that causes a delay in a phase of the oscillating signal and first electrical stimulation that causes an advance in a phase of the oscillating signal;

delivering a second set of first electrical stimulation to the patient at the phase within the transition region and at a plurality of amplitudes;

measuring a response in the oscillating signal to the second set of first electrical stimulation;

determining a phase and an amplitude at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses; and

delivering the second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined phase and amplitude.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second electrical stimulation is configured to treat at least one of chronic pain, tremor, Parkinson'"'"'s disease, depression, epilepsy, migraines, and Alzheimer'"'"'s disease.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering a set of first electrical stimulation at a plurality of phases relative to the oscillating signal to the patient comprises:

delivering a set of first electrical stimulation at a plurality of phases relative to the oscillating signal to the patient in one of a linear manner or non-linear manner.

9. A device comprising:

an implantable housing;

one or more leads coupled to the housing;

one or more electrodes carried by the one or more leads; and

a processor configured to;

control delivery of a set of first electrical stimulation at a plurality of phases relative to an oscillating signal;

after delivery of the set of first electrical stimulation at each respective phase of the plurality of phases, measure a response in the oscillating signal to the set of first electrical stimulation;

determine a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses; and

control delivery of the second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined phase to produce a therapeutic effect.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the set of first electrical stimulation is a first set of first electrical stimulation, the processor further configured to:

after determining a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured response, control delivery of a second set of first electrical stimulation at the determined phase and at a plurality of amplitudes and durations;

after controlling delivery of the second set of first electrical stimulation at the determined phase and at each respective amplitude of the plurality of amplitudes, measure a response in the oscillating signal to the second set of first electrical stimulation;

determine an amplitude of the second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses,

wherein controlling delivery of second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined phase further comprises controlling delivery of second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined amplitude.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor configured to measure a response to the set of first electrical stimulation is further configured to one or more of measure a change in a phase response map, measure a phase, measure a period, and measure an amplitude of the oscillating signal after controlling delivery of the first electrical stimulation at each respective phase of the plurality of phases.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

map each measured response in the oscillating signal to the corresponding first electrical stimulation; and

store the map in a memory device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor configured to determine a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses is further configured to:

determine, from the map, a transition region between first electrical stimulation that causes a delay in a phase of the oscillating signal and first electrical stimulation that causes an advance in a phase of the oscillating signal; and

control delivery of the second electrical stimulation to the patient at a phase within the transition region.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor configured to determine a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses is further configured to:

determine, from the map, a transition region between first electrical stimulation that causes a delay in a phase of the oscillating signal and first electrical stimulation that causes an advance in a phase of the oscillating signal;

control delivery of a second set of first electrical stimulation to the patient at the phase within the transition region and at a plurality of amplitudes;

measure a response in the oscillating signal to the second set of first electrical stimulation;

determine a phase and an amplitude at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses; and

control delivery of the second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined phase and amplitude.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the second electrical stimulation is configured to treat at least one of chronic pain, tremor, Parkinson'"'"'s disease, depression, epilepsy, migraines, and Alzheimer'"'"'s disease.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor configured to control delivery of a set of first electrical stimulation at a plurality of phases relative to the oscillating signal to the patient is further configured to:

control delivery of a set of first electrical stimulation at a plurality of phases relative to the oscillating signal to the patient in one of a linear manner or non-linear manner.

17. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

control delivery of a set of first electrical stimulation at a plurality of phases relative to an oscillating signal;

after delivery of the set of first electrical stimulation at each respective phase of the plurality of phases, measure a response in the oscillating signal to the set of first electrical stimulation;

determine a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses; and

control delivery of the second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined phase to produce a therapeutic effect.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the set of first electrical stimulation is a first set of first electrical stimulation, the computer-readable storage medium further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

after determining a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured response, control delivery of a second set of first electrical stimulation at the determined phase and at a plurality of amplitudes and durations;

after delivering the second set of first electrical stimulation at the determined phase and at each respective amplitude of the plurality of amplitudes, measure a response in the oscillating signal to the second set of first electrical stimulation;

determine an amplitude of the second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses,

wherein controlling delivery of second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined phase further comprises controlling delivery of second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined amplitude.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to measure a response to the set of first electrical stimulation comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to one or more of measure a change in a phase response map, measure a phase, measuring a period, and measure an amplitude of the oscillating signal after delivering the first electrical stimulation at each respective phase of the plurality of phases.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

map each measured response in the oscillating signal to the corresponding first electrical stimulation; and

store the map in a memory device.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine, from the map, a transition region between first electrical stimulation that causes a delay in a phase of the oscillating signal and first electrical stimulation that causes an advance in a phase of the oscillating signal; and

control delivery of the second electrical stimulation to the patient at a phase within the transition region.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine, from the map, a transition region between first electrical stimulation that causes a delay in a phase of the oscillating signal and first electrical stimulation that causes an advance in a phase of the oscillating signal;

control delivery of a second set of first electrical stimulation to the patient at the phase within the transition region and at a plurality of amplitudes;

measure a response in the oscillating signal to the second set of first electrical stimulation;

determine a phase and an amplitude at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses; and

control delivery of the second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined phase and amplitude.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the second electrical stimulation is configured to treat at least one of chronic pain, tremor, Parkinson'"'"'s disease, depression, epilepsy, migraines, and Alzheimer'"'"'s disease.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control delivery of a set of first electrical stimulation at a plurality of phases relative to the oscillating signal to the patient comprises:

control delivery of a set of first electrical stimulation at a plurality of phases relative to the oscillating signal to the patient in one of a linear manner or non-linear manner.

25. A device comprising:

means for delivering a set of first electrical stimulation at a plurality of phases relative to an oscillating signal;

means for measuring a response in the oscillating signal to the set of first electrical stimulation after delivering the set of first electrical stimulation at each respective phase of the plurality of phases;

means for determining a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses; and

means for delivering the second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined phase to produce a therapeutic effect.