Electrical brain therapy parameter determination based on a bioelectrical resonance response

• US 8,914,119 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2012
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Wu, Jianping, Nelson, Dwight E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDWARDS, PHILIP CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US13/447,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20120271375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 607/45, 607/2, 607/3, 607/1
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36067 Movement disorders, e.g. tremor or Parkinson disease stimulating motor muscle A61N1/36003
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36153 Voltage A61N1/3616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36171 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36185 Selection of the electrode configuration

Abstract

Various methods and apparatuses are disclosed that concern delivering electrical stimulation to a brain at a plurality of different stimulation frequencies, sensing one or more bioelectrical signals, and identifying a bioelectrical resonance response of the brain to the electrical stimulation. The bioelectrical resonance response may be identified based on a parameter of oscillation of the one or more bioelectrical signals and indicative of resonance of an area of the brain to one stimulation frequency of the plurality of stimulation frequencies. A stimulation frequency parameter for a therapy may be set based on the identified bioelectrical resonance response, wherein the stimulation frequency parameter is set at or near the one stimulation frequency.

Claims

1. A method for configuring therapy, comprising:

delivering electrical stimulation to a brain at a plurality of different stimulation frequencies;

sensing one or more bioelectrical signals;

identifying a bioelectrical resonance response of the brain to the electrical stimulation, the bioelectrical resonance response identified based on a parameter of oscillation determined from the one or more sensed bioelectrical signals and indicative of resonance of an area of the brain to one stimulation frequency of the plurality of stimulation frequencies;

setting a stimulation frequency parameter for a therapy based on the identified bioelectrical resonance response, wherein the stimulation frequency parameter is set at or near the one stimulation frequency; and

delivering the therapy to the brain using the set stimulation frequency parameter, wherein each of delivering electrical stimulation, sensing, identifying, setting, and delivering the therapy are performed at least in part by control circuitry wherein the bioelectrical resonance response is induced by the electrical stimulation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the electrical stimulation comprises delivering the electrical stimulation for each of a plurality of stimulation intervals, the electrical stimulation being delivered for each stimulation interval of the plurality at a respective stimulation frequency of the plurality of different stimulation frequencies.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the parameter of oscillation comprises a duration of a bioelectrical oscillation response to the electrical stimulation; and

identifying the bioelectrical resonance response comprises determining which stimulation frequency of the plurality of different stimulation frequencies is associated with the longest duration of bioelectrical oscillatory response.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the parameter of oscillation comprises a power value in the frequency domain; and

identifying the bioelectrical resonance response comprises determining which stimulation frequency of the plurality of different stimulation frequencies is associated with the highest power value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulation is delivered to the subthalamic nucleus, and the area of the brain for which the bioelectrical resonance response is identified is the subthalamic nucleus.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the therapy is delivered to treat a movement disorder.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different stimulation frequencies comprise a range of frequencies within the gamma frequency band.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the stimulation frequency parameter for the therapy comprises setting the stimulation frequency parameter at the one stimulation frequency.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the stimulation frequency parameter near the one stimulation frequency comprises setting the stimulation frequency parameter closer to the one stimulation frequency than to any other stimulation frequency of the plurality of different stimulation frequencies.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering electrical stimulation to the brain at the plurality of different stimulation frequencies comprises delivering electrical stimulation to the brain at the plurality of different stimulation frequencies for each of a plurality of different stimulation amplitude values, and wherein the method further comprises setting a stimulation amplitude parameter of the therapy, the amplitude parameter being set at or slightly higher than the lowest amplitude value of the plurality of different stimulation amplitude values for which the bioelectrical resonance response was identified.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the electrical stimulation at the plurality of different stimulation frequencies comprises incrementally increasing or decreasing stimulation frequency so as to scan delivery of the electrical stimulation through the plurality of different stimulation frequencies.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of delivering the electrical stimulation, sensing, identifying the bioelectrical resonance response, and setting the stimulation frequency parameter are repeated according to a schedule or a trigger to update the stimulation frequency parameter.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring for an endogenous bioelectrical oscillation of the patient in a particular frequency band, wherein the steps of delivering the electrical stimulation and identifying the bioelectrical resonance response are performed based on the endogenous bioelectrical oscillation not being present in the particular frequency band during the monitoring.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulation frequency parameter induces self-supporting activation of a brain that continues for a duration following stimulation.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the bioelectrical resonance response comprises an oscillatory change responsive to delivery of the electrical stimulation at the one frequency and wherein the oscillatory change is not present at other ones of the plurality of different stimulation frequencies.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein oscillatory activity that is present before stimulation is not indicative of the bioelectrical resonance response.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein oscillatory activity that is present at multiple ones of the plurality of different stimulation frequencies is not indicative of the bioelectrical resonance response.

18. A system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to receive one or more bioelectrical signals indicative of brain activity;

a stimulation generator configured to deliver electrical stimulation to a brain; and

control circuitry configured to;

control the stimulation generator to deliver the electrical stimulation to a brain at a plurality of different stimulation frequencies;

identify a bioelectrical resonance response of the brain to the electrical stimulation, the bioelectrical resonance response identified based on a parameter of oscillation determined from the one or more bioelectrical signals and indicative of resonance of an area of the brain to one stimulation frequency of the plurality of stimulation frequencies;

set a stimulation frequency parameter for a therapy based on the identified bioelectrical resonance response, the stimulation frequency parameter set at or near the one stimulation frequency; and

control the stimulation generator to deliver the therapy to the brain using the set stimulation frequency parameter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the stimulation generator to deliver the electrical stimulation for each of a plurality of stimulation intervals such that the electrical stimulation is delivered for each stimulation interval of the plurality at a respective stimulation frequency of the plurality of different stimulation frequencies.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the parameter of oscillation comprises a duration of a bioelectrical oscillation response to the electrical stimulation, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to identify the bioelectrical resonance response by determining which stimulation frequency of the plurality of different stimulation frequencies is associated with the longest duration.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the parameter of oscillation comprises a power value in the frequency domain, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to identify the bioelectrical resonance response by determining which stimulation frequency of the plurality of different stimulation frequencies is associated with the highest power value.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the therapy comprises a movement disorder therapy.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of different stimulation frequencies comprise a range of frequencies within the gamma frequency band.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the control circuitry is configured to set the stimulation frequency parameter for the therapy at or near the one stimulation frequency by setting the stimulation frequency parameter for the therapy at the one stimulation frequency.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the control circuitry is configured to set the stimulation frequency parameter for the therapy at or near the one stimulation frequency by setting the stimulation frequency parameter closer to the one stimulation frequency than to any other stimulation frequency of the plurality of different stimulation frequencies.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the control circuitry is configured to:

control the stimulation generator to deliver electrical stimulation to the brain at the plurality of different stimulation frequencies by controlling the stimulation generator to deliver electrical stimulation to the brain at the plurality of different stimulation frequencies for each of a plurality of different stimulation amplitude values; and

set a stimulation amplitude parameter for the therapy by setting the amplitude parameter at or slightly higher than the lowest amplitude value of the plurality of different stimulation amplitude values for which the bioelectrical resonance response was identified.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the stimulation generator to deliver the electrical stimulation at the plurality of different stimulation frequencies by incrementally increasing or decreasing stimulation frequency so as to scan delivery of the electrical stimulation through the plurality of different stimulation frequencies.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the control circuitry is configured to repeat the steps of delivering the electrical stimulation, identifying the bioelectrical resonance response, and setting the stimulation frequency parameter according to a schedule or a trigger to update the stimulation frequency parameter.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the control circuitry is configured to monitor for an endogenous bioelectrical oscillation of the brain in a particular frequency band using the one or more bioelectrical signals, wherein the control circuitry is configured to perform the steps of delivering the electrical stimulation, identifying the bioelectrical resonance response, and setting the stimulation frequency parameter only if the endogenous bioelectrical oscillation is not present in the particular frequency band.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein the stimulation frequency parameter induces self-supporting activation of a brain that continues for a duration following stimulation.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein the bioelectrical resonance response comprises an oscillatory change responsive to delivery of the electrical stimulation at the one frequency and wherein the oscillatory change is not present at other ones of the plurality of different stimulation frequencies.

32. The system of claim 18, wherein oscillatory activity that is present before stimulation is not indicative of the bioelectrical resonance response.

33. The system of claim 18, wherein oscillatory activity that is present at multiple ones of the plurality of different stimulation frequencies is not indicative of the bioelectrical resonance response.

34. A system, comprising:

means for delivering electrical stimulation to a brain at a plurality of different stimulation frequencies;

means for sensing one or more bioelectrical signals;

means for identifying a bioelectrical resonance response of the brain to the electrical stimulation, the bioelectrical resonance response identified based on a parameter of oscillation determined from the one or more sensed bioelectrical signals and indicative of resonance of an area of the brain to one stimulation frequency of the plurality of stimulation frequencies;

means for setting a stimulation frequency parameter for a therapy based on the identified bioelectrical resonance response, wherein the stimulation frequency parameter is set at or near the one stimulation frequency; and

means for delivering the therapy to the brain using the set stimulation frequency parameter, and

wherein the bioelectrical resonance response is induced by the electrical stimulation.