Subthreshold stimulation of a cochlea
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for delivering electrical stimuli to an auditory system of an implantee, comprising:
- an stimulator configured to generate stimulation signals having the stimuli encoded therein; and
at least one electrode member configured to deliver the stimulation signals to the auditory system;
wherein the stimuli comprises plasticity informative stimuli having a magnitude below an auditory perception threshold of the implantee, the plasticity informative stimuli configured to facilitate the production and/or release of naturally occurring neurotrophic agents into the auditory system.
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Abstract
An implantable apparatus, such as a cochlear implant, for delivering electrical plasticity informative stimuli to a neural network of an implantee. The apparatus comprises a stimulator device (40) that generates stimulation signals, and an electrode array (20) that receives the stimulation signals and delivers the stimuli to the neural network of the implantee in response to the signals. The stimuli delivered to the implantee facilitates and/or controls the production and/or release of naturally occurring agents into the neural network to influence the functionality thereof.
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Citations
113 Claims
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1. An apparatus for delivering electrical stimuli to an auditory system of an implantee, comprising:
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an stimulator configured to generate stimulation signals having the stimuli encoded therein; and at least one electrode member configured to deliver the stimulation signals to the auditory system; wherein the stimuli comprises plasticity informative stimuli having a magnitude below an auditory perception threshold of the implantee, the plasticity informative stimuli configured to facilitate the production and/or release of naturally occurring neurotrophic agents into the auditory system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of delivering stimuli to an auditory system of an implantee, via an stimulator electrically coupled to at least one electrode member, wherein the electrode member is positioned to deliver the stimuli to the implantee, comprising:
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generating stimulation signals having the stimuli to be delivered encoded therein; and delivering said stimulation signals via at least one electrode member to the auditory system of the implantee; wherein the stimuli comprises plasticity informative stimuli having a magnitude below an auditory perception threshold of the implantee and auditory informative stimuli, the plasticity informative stimuli configured to facilitate the production and/or release of naturally occurring neurotrophic agents into the auditory system. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. An implantable apparatus for delivering electrical stimuli to an auditory system of an implantee, the apparatus comprising:
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a stimulator configured to generate stimulation signals; and an electrode array implantable in the auditory system, comprising at least one electrode member configured to deliver the stimulation signals to the auditory system; wherein the stimuli comprises plasticity informative stimuli having a magnitude below a perception threshold of the implantee, the plasticity informative stimuli configured to facilitate the production and/or release of naturally occurring neurotrophic agents into the auditory system. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A method of delivering stimuli to an auditory system of an implantee via an electrode array having at least one electrode member, configured to deliver the stimuli to the implantee and positioned in a neural network, comprising:
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generating stimulation signals having the stimuli to be delivered encoded therein; and delivering said stimulation signals to said via at least one electrode member to the implantee; wherein the stimuli includes plasticity informative stimuli having a magnitude below a perception threshold of the implantee, the plasticity informative stimuli configured to facilitate the production and/or release of naturally occurring neurotrophic agents into the neural network. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. An implantable apparatus for delivering electrical stimuli to a neural network of an implantee, the apparatus comprising:
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a stimulator configured to generate stimulation signals; and at least one electrode member configured to receive the stimulation signals and configured to deliver the stimuli to the neural network in response to said signals; wherein the stimuli includes plasticity informative stimuli having a magnitude below a perception threshold of the implantee, the plasticity informative stimuli facilitating the production and/or release of naturally occurring neurotrophic agents into the neural network, and wherein said naturally occurring neurotrophic agents comprise one or more neurotrophic factors selected from the group comprising Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), NGF, NT-3, NT-4/5, NT-6, LIF, GDNF, CNTF, and IGF-I. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. A method of delivering stimuli to an auditory system of an implantee, via an stimulator electrically coupled to at least one electrode member, wherein the electrode member is positioned to deliver the stimuli to the implantee, comprising the steps of:
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generating stimulation signals having the stimuli to be delivered encoded therein; and delivering said stimulation signals via at least one electrode member to the auditory system of the implantee; wherein the stimuli includes plasticity informative stimuli having a magnitude below a perception threshold of the implantee, the plasticity informative stimuli facilitating the production and/or release of naturally occurring neurotrophic agents into the auditory system, wherein said naturally occurring neurotrophic agents comprise one or more neurotrophic factors selected from the group comprising Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), NGF, NT-3, NT-4/5, NT-6, LIF, GDNF, CNTF, and IGF-I. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83)
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84. An implantable apparatus for delivering electrical stimuli to a neural network of an implantee, the apparatus comprising:
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a stimulator that generates stimulation signals; and at least one electrode member configured to receive the stimulation signals and configured to deliver the stimuli to the neural network in response to said signals; wherein the stimuli includes plasticity informative stimuli having a magnitude below a perception threshold of the implantee, the plasticity informative stimuli facilitating the production and/or release of naturally occurring neurotrophic agents into the neural network, and wherein said naturally occurring neurotrophic agents comprise neurotrophic factors that increase the survival of spiral ganglion cells. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97)
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98. A method of delivering stimuli to an auditory system of an implantee, via an stimulator electrically coupled to at least one electrode member, wherein the electrode member is positioned to deliver the stimuli to the implantee, comprising the steps of:
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generating stimulation signals having the stimuli to be delivered encoded therein; and delivering said stimulation signals via at least one electrode member to the implantee; wherein the stimuli includes plasticity informative stimuli having a magnitude below a perception threshold of the implantee, the plasticity informative stimuli facilitating the production and/or release of naturally occurring neurotrophic agents into the auditory system, wherein said naturally occurring agents comprise neurotrophic factors that increase the survival of spiral ganglion cells. - View Dependent Claims (99, 100, 101)
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102. An implantable apparatus for delivering electrical stimuli to a neural network of an implantee, the apparatus comprising:
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a stimulator that generates stimulation signals; and at least one electrode member configured to receive the stimulation signals and configured to deliver the stimuli to the neural network in response to said signals; wherein the stimuli includes plasticity informative stimuli having a magnitude below a perception threshold of the implantee, the plasticity informative stimuli facilitating the production and/or release of naturally occurring neurotrophic agents into the neural network, and wherein said stimuli elicits outgrowth of spiral ganglion cells towards said at least one electrode member. - View Dependent Claims (103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111)
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112. A method of delivering stimuli to an auditory system of an implantee, via an stimulator electrically coupled to at least one electrode member, wherein the electrode member is positioned to deliver the stimuli to the implantee, comprising the steps of:
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generating stimulation signals having the stimuli to be delivered encoded therein; and delivering said stimulation signals via at least one electrode member to the implantee; wherein the stimuli includes plasticity informative stimuli having a magnitude below a perception threshold of the implantee, the plasticity informative stimuli facilitating the production and/or release of naturally occurring neurotrophic agents into the auditory system, wherein said stimuli elicits outgrowth of spiral ganglion cells. - View Dependent Claims (113)
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Specification