Using physiological sensor data with an implantable medical device
First Claim
1. An implantable medical system comprising:
- an implantable medical device (IMD) operative to provide a first electrical signal;
an electrode coupleable to the IMD, the electrode operative to deliver the first electrical signal from the IMD to a neural structure to cause afferent nerve impulses or afferent and efferent nerve impulses to propagate along the neural structure away from the electrode;
a sensor coupleable to the IMD, the sensor operative to sense a physiological parameter, wherein the physiological parameter includes at least one of a neurotransmitter breakdown product parameter, a neuropeptide parameter, or an amino acid parameter; and
a controller operative to;
change a signal parameter of the first electrical signal based upon the physiological parameter to generate a second electrical signal;
apply the second electrical signal to the neural structure, wherein the signal parameter includes at least one of a pulse width, a frequency, a polarity, or an amplitude, and wherein the first and second electrical signals are applied to the neural structure to treat depression; and
in response to the applied first and second electrical signals, determine a severity of the depression based on the sensed physiological parameter.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable medical system includes an implantable medical device (IMD) and an electrode coupleable to the IMD. The electrode is operative to deliver a first electrical signal from the IMD to a neural structure. The system includes a sensor coupleable to the IMD. The sensor is operative to sense a physiological parameter. The physiological parameter may include at least one of a neurotransmitter parameter, a neurotransmitter breakdown product parameter, a neuropeptide parameter, a norepinephrine parameter, a glucocorticoid (GC) parameter, a neuromodulator parameter, a neuromodulator breakdown product parameter, an amino acid parameter, and a hormone parameter. The IMD includes a controller operative to change a parameter of the first electrical signal based upon at least one sensed physiological parameter to generate a second electrical signal and to apply the second electrical signal to the neural structure.
125 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An implantable medical system comprising:
-
an implantable medical device (IMD) operative to provide a first electrical signal; an electrode coupleable to the IMD, the electrode operative to deliver the first electrical signal from the IMD to a neural structure to cause afferent nerve impulses or afferent and efferent nerve impulses to propagate along the neural structure away from the electrode; a sensor coupleable to the IMD, the sensor operative to sense a physiological parameter, wherein the physiological parameter includes at least one of a neurotransmitter breakdown product parameter, a neuropeptide parameter, or an amino acid parameter; and a controller operative to; change a signal parameter of the first electrical signal based upon the physiological parameter to generate a second electrical signal; apply the second electrical signal to the neural structure, wherein the signal parameter includes at least one of a pulse width, a frequency, a polarity, or an amplitude, and wherein the first and second electrical signals are applied to the neural structure to treat depression; and in response to the applied first and second electrical signals, determine a severity of the depression based on the sensed physiological parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:
-
a stimulation unit operative to provide a first electrical signal to a neural structure such that afferent nerve impulses propagate along the neural structure to a brain of a patient; a sensor interface operative to receive data from a sensor, the data corresponding to a sensed physiological parameter, the sensed physiological parameter including at least one of a neurotransmitter breakdown product parameter, a neuropeptide parameter, or an amino acid parameter; a sensor controller, the sensor controller operative to control timing of sensing of the sensed physiological parameter relative to a stimulation period based on a predetermined protocol to enable correlating the stimulation period with the sensed physiological parameter; and a controller operative to; change a signal parameter of the first electrical signal based on the data corresponding to the sensed physiological parameter to generate a second electrical signal; apply the second electrical signal to the neural structure, wherein the signal parameter includes at least one of a pulse width, a frequency, a polarity, or an amplitude, and wherein the first and second electrical signals are applied to the neural structure to treat depression; and in response to the applied first and second electrical signals, determine a severity of the depression based on the sensed physiological parameter. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An implantable medical system comprising:
-
an implantable medical device (IMD) operative to provide a first electrical signal, the IMD comprising a communication unit that is configured to transmit first communication signals to an external unit and to receive second communication signals from the external unit; an electrode coupleable to the IMD, the electrode to deliver the first electrical signal to a neural structure to cause afferent nerve impulses or afferent and efferent nerve impulses to propagate along the neural structure away from the electrode; a sensor coupleable to the IMD, the sensor operative to sense a physiological parameter, wherein the physiological parameter includes at least one of a neurotransmitter breakdown product parameter, a neuropeptide parameter, or an amino acid parameter; a sensor controller operative to control timing of sensing of the physiological parameter relative to a stimulation period based on a predetermined protocol to enable correlating the stimulation period with the physiological parameter; and a controller operative to; change a signal parameter of the first electrical signal to generate a second electrical signal; apply the second electrical signal to the neural structure, wherein the signal parameter is changed based upon the physiological parameter, based upon input from the external unit, or based upon the physiological parameter and the input from the external unit, wherein the signal parameter includes at least one of a pulse width, a frequency, a polarity, or an amplitude, and wherein the first and second electrical signals are applied to the neural structure to treat depression; and in response to the applied first and second electrical signals, determine a severity of the depression based on the sensed physiological parameter. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification