Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy

• US 8,606,361 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2011
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gliner, Bradford Evan, Wyler, Allen, Fowler, Brad, Sheffield, W. Douglas, Kuntz, Richard, Leyde, Kent, Sloan, Leif R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gedeon, Brian T
• Application Number:
  US13/179,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20120041498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 607 1- 3, 607/45, 607/46, 607/48, 607/115, 607/116, 607/120
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3606 adapted for a particular treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36064 Epilepsy
• 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 1/36103 Neuro-rehabilitation; Repair or reorganisation of neural tissue, e.g. after stroke
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36135 using physiological parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• 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 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/901 using storage descriptor, e.g. read or write pointers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient'"'"'s nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters. Stimulation signals providing reduced power consumption with at least adequate symptomatic relief may be applied prior to moderate or significant power source depletion.

Claims

1. A method of treating Parkinson'"'"'s disease (PD) in a patient, the method comprising:

receiving one or more signals from a patient-controller input device that is indicative of self-administration of Levodopa or other dopamine agonist;

in response to the receiving, communicating one or more signals by the patient-controller input device to an implantable pulse generator to initiate a pre-defined stimulation protocol to accommodate for metabolization of the administered Levodopa or dopamine agonist, wherein the pre-defined stimulation protocol comprises;

(a) applying a first stimulation program after a first time delay, the first stimulation program including stimulation parameters selected to provide an optimal stimulation therapy after a drug-onset time of the administered Levodopa or dopamine agonist;

(b) applying a second stimulation program after a second time delay, the second stimulation program including stimulation parameters selected to provide an optimal stimulation therapy for a drug half-life of the administered Levodopa or dopamine agonist; and

(c) applying a third stimulation program after a third time delay, the third stimulation program including stimulation parameters selected to provide an optimal stimulation therapy for drug level substantially below a level expected for the drug half-life of the administered Levodopa or dopamine agonist;

wherein the applying the first, second, and third stimulation programs occurs automatically by the implantable pulse generator implanted in the patient in response to the implantable pulse generator receiving the one or more signals from the patient-controller input device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first stimulation program causes the implantable pulse generator to applying lower-power stimulation to the patient.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the drug-onset time corresponds to an expected peak level of therapeutic benefit of the administered Levodopa or dopamine agonist.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third stimulation programs employ different burst rates for stimulation pulses applied during the first, second, and third stimulation programs.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the stimulation pulses of the first, second, and third stimulation programs include timing-variations between successive bursts of pulses during the application of pulses of the first, second, and third stimulation programs.