Method for treating depression by indirectly stimulating raphe nuclei

• US 8,914,120 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2013
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Dongchul
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaetzle, Kennedy
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, ERICA SHENGKAI
• Application Number:
  US14/037,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20140094886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36057 adapted for stimulating afferent nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36096 Mood disorders, e.g. depression, anxiety or panic disorder
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36157 Current A61N1/3616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36171 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36175 Pulse width or duty cycle

Abstract

A method for treating a patient suffering from depression, the method including applying electrical stimulation energy to afferent nerve fibers leading to the medial preoptic region of the hypothalamus of the patient, thereby activating serotonin in the raphe nuclei to treat depression.

Claims

1. A method for treating a patient suffering from depression, the method comprising:

applying electrical stimulation energy from at least one electrode configured for implantation within the epidural space of the patient, to afferent nerve fibers leading to the medial preoptic region of the hypothalamus of the patient, thereby activating serotonin in the raphe nuclei to treat depression, wherein the afferent nerve fibers are at a sacral spinal level in the range of S1-S3.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulation energy is epidurally applied to the afferent nerve fibers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the afferent nerve fibers are a dorsal root (DR).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode is configured for implantation within the dorsal-lateral quadrant of an epidural space of the patient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the afferent nerve fibers are within laminae VI-X of the spinal cord.