Patient directed therapy control

• US 8,380,314 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2007
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Panken, Eric J., Denison, Timothy J., Molnar, Gregory F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): GHAND, JENNIFER LEIGH-STEWAR
• Application Number:
  US11/974,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20090082829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,953 Days
• Field of Search: 600/544, 600/545, 607/45
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/374 Detecting the frequency distribution of signals, e.g. detecting delta, theta, alpha, beta or gamma waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4082 Diagnosing or monitoring movement diseases, e.g. Parkinson, Huntington or Tourette
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0693 Brain, cerebrum
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36025 for treating a mental or cerebral condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36031 using physiological parameters for adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36034 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• 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 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection

Abstract

A patient controls the delivery of therapy through volitional inputs that are detected by a biosignal within the brain. The volitional patient input may be directed towards performing a specific physical or mental activity, such as moving a muscle or performing a mathematical calculation. In one embodiment, a biosignal detection module monitors an electroencephalogram (EEG) signal from within the brain of the patient and determines whether the EEG signal includes the biosignal. In one embodiment, the biosignal detection module analyzes one or more frequency components of the EEG signal. In this manner, the patient may adjust therapy delivery by providing a volitional input that is detected by brain signals, wherein the volitional input may not require the interaction with another device, thereby eliminating the need for an external programmer to adjust therapy delivery. Example therapies include electrical stimulation, drug delivery, and delivery of sensory cues.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a therapy module configured to deliver therapy to a patient;

a biosignal detection module configured to detect at least one biosignal from a brain of a patient that results from a volitional patient input;

a processor configured to control the therapy module based on the detection of the at least one biosignal, wherein the processor is configured to control adjustment of a parameter of the therapy based on the detected biosignal; and

an external programmer including a user interface and a telemetry module, wherein the external programmer is configured to;

receive an activity selection via the user interface;

receive an electrical signal from the biosignal detection module; and

associate the electrical signal with the activity selection, wherein the biosignal is based on the electrical signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the biosignal detection module comprises one or more electrodes configured to be positioned to detect an electrical signal from the brain of the patient.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the biosignal detection module is configured to acquire an electrical signal from the brain of the patient, and wherein the processor is configured to extract a predetermined frequency band from the electrical signal to detect the biosignal.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the electrical signal comprises at least one of an electroencephalogram (EEG) signal, electromyogram (EMG) signal, electrocorticogram (ECoG) signal or a field potential within the brain of the patient.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the electrical signal comprises an electrocorticogram (ECoG) signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the volitional patient input comprises at least one of a physical activity or a mental activity.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a feedback mechanism separate from the therapy module, wherein the processor is configured to control the feedback mechanism to indicate the biosignal was detected.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a secondary input device configured to receive a secondary input from the patient, wherein the processor is configured to control the delivery of therapy based upon the at least one biosignal and the secondary input.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate a therapy adjustment indication in response to the detected biosignal and store the therapy adjustment indication in a memory.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to adjust the parameter of therapy by at least one of increasing or decreasing a therapy parameter, shifting between stored therapy programs or modifying a sensory cue.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the biosignal comprises at least one of a frequency component of the electrical signal, an amplitude of the electrical signal, or a pattern in an amplitude waveform of the electrical signal.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity selection comprises one of a physical activity or a mental activity.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the biosignal detection module is configured to record the electrical signal when the programmer receives the activity selection.

14. A system comprising:

a sensing module configured to sense a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal from within a brain of a patient;

an external programmer including a user interface and a telemetry module, wherein the programmer is configured to;

receive an activity selection via the user interface;

receive the first electrical signal from the sensing module; and

associate the first electrical signal from the sensing module with the activity selection; and

a processor configured to determine a biosignal based on the first electrical signal, the biosignal being indicative of volitional patient input, and evaluate one or more of an alpha, beta, gamma or high gamma frequency band of the second electrical signal to determine whether the second electrical signal includes the biosignal, wherein the processor is configured to generate a control signal to control adjustment of a parameter of therapy delivered by a therapy module if the second electrical signal includes the biosignal.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the control signal causes the therapy module to at least one of increase or decrease a therapy parameter, shift between stored therapy programs or modify a sensory cue.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal each comprises an electrocorticogram (ECoG) signal.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the biosignal comprises at least one of a frequency component of the first electrical signal, an amplitude of the first electrical signal, or a pattern in an amplitude waveform of the first electrical signal.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising a therapy module and a feedback mechanism separate from the therapy module, wherein the processor is configured to control the feedback mechanism to indicate the second electrical signal includes the biosignal.

19. A system comprising:

a therapy module configured to deliver therapy to a patient;

a biosignal detection module configured to detect at least one biosignal from a brain of a patient that results from a volitional patient input;

a processor configured to control the therapy module based on the detection of the at least one biosignal, wherein the processor is configured to control adjustment of a parameter of the therapy based on the detected biosignal; and

a feedback mechanism separate from the therapy module, wherein the processor is configured to control the feedback mechanism to indicate the biosignal was detected.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the feedback mechanism is configured to at least one of stimulate a sensory cortex of a brain of the patient to provide a sensation of visible light, provide an audible sound, provide a visible display, or provide a somatosensory cue.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising an external programmer comprising the feedback mechanism.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the volitional patient input comprises at least one of a physical activity or a mental activity.

23. A system comprising:

a therapy module configured to deliver therapy to a patient;

a biosignal detection module configured to detect at least one biosignal from a brain of a patient that results from a volitional patient input;

a programmer configured to associate an electrical signal from the biosignal detection module with an activity selection during a learning mode, wherein the biosignal is based on the electrical signal; and

a processor configured to control the therapy module based on the detection of the at least one biosignal, wherein the processor is configured to control adjustment of a parameter of the therapy based on the detected biosignal.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the programmer comprises a user interface and is configured to receive the activity selection via the user interface and receive the electrical signal from the biosignal detection module.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the programmer is configured to present the learning mode via the user interface and receive the activity selection indicating an activity selected from one of a plurality of activities presented by the user interface in the learning mode.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to extract a predetermined frequency band from the electrical signal to detect the biosignal.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the biosignal comprises at least one of a frequency component of the electrical signal, an amplitude of the electrical signal, or a pattern in an amplitude waveform of the electrical signal.