Sleep stage detection

• US 10,165,977 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2017
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Wu, Jianping, Molnar, Gregory F., Molnar, Gabriela C., Denison, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Porter, Jr., Allen
• Application Number:
  US15/651,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20170311878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/374 Detecting the frequency distribution of signals, e.g. detecting delta, theta, alpha, beta or gamma waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4082 Diagnosing or monitoring movement diseases, e.g. Parkinson, Huntington or Tourette
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1726 the body parameters being measured at, or proximate to, the infusion site
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0072 with application of electrical currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 : with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 : with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/005 : Parameter used as control input for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 : Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/08 : Other bio-electrical signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/10 : Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 : partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/30 : Blood pressure A61M2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/42 : Rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/50 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/60 : Muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/63 : Motion, e.g. physical activity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/65 : Impedance, e.g. conductivity, capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 : using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36078 : Inducing or controlling sleep or relaxation non-implantable stimulator A61M21/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 : with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 : delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 : relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation

Abstract

Therapy delivery to a patient may be controlled based on a determined sleep stage of the patient. In examples, the sleep stage may be determined based on a frequency characteristic of a biosignal indicative of brain activity of the patient. A frequency characteristic may include, for example, a power level within one or more frequency bands of the biosignal, a ratio of the power level in two or more frequency bands, or a pattern in the power level of one or more frequency bands over time. A therapy program may be selected or modified based on the sleep stage determination. Therapy may be delivered during the sleep stage according to the selected or modified therapy program. In some examples, therapy delivery may be controlled after making separate determinations of a sleep stage based on the biosignal and another physiological parameter, and confirming that the sleep stage determinations are consistent.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by a processor, a REM sleep stage of a patient; and

controlling, by the processor, a therapy module of a medical device to deliver a therapy to the patient in response to detecting the REM sleep stage of the patient, wherein the therapy is configured to treat a movement disorder of the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the processor, a brain signal of the patient sensed by a sensing module via electrodes electrically coupled to the sensing module, and wherein detecting, by the processor, the REM sleep stage of a patient comprises detecting, by the processor, the REM sleep stage of a patient based on the brain signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the brain signal comprises receiving the brain signal sensed by the sensing module via external electrodes located external to the patient.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the brain signal via the external electrodes located external to the patient comprises receiving the brain signal sensed via the external electrodes placed on a scalp of the patient.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the brain signal comprises receiving the brain signal sensed by the sensing module via electrodes implanted in the patient.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the brain signal comprises an electrocorticogram (ECoG) signal.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the brain signal comprises an electroencephalogram (EEG) signal.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the REM sleep stage comprises:

determining a frequency characteristic of the brain signal, and

determining the REM sleep stage of the patient based on the determined frequency characteristic of the brain signal.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the brain signal comprises receiving the brain signal from the sensing module that is separate from the medical device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the therapy comprises electrical stimulation therapy.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the therapy comprises delivery of a therapeutic agent.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical device comprises an implantable medical device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the therapy is configured

to minimize involuntary movement of the patient caused by the movement disorder of the patient.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the movement disorder includes rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the therapy is configured to minimize involuntary movement of one or more limbs of the patient caused by the movement disorder of the patient.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling, by the processor, the therapy module of the medical device to deliver the therapy to the patient in response to detecting the REM sleep stage of the patient comprises controlling, by the processor, the therapy module of the medical device to deliver electrical stimulation to a tissue site of a brain of the patient in response to detecting the REM sleep stage of the patient.

17. A medical device system comprising:

a medical device configured to deliver therapy to the patient; and

a processor configured to detect a REM sleep stage of the patient, and control the medical device to deliver the therapy in response to detecting the REM sleep stage of the patient, wherein the therapy is configured to treat a movement disorder of the patient.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a sensing module; and

electrodes configured to be electrically coupled to the sensing module, wherein the sensing module is configured to sense a brain signal of the patient via the electrodes, wherein the processor configured to receive the brain signal from the sensing module and detect the REM sleep stage of the patient based on the brain signal.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the electrodes comprise external electrodes located external to the patient.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the electrodes comprise electrodes configured to be implanted in the patient.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the brain signal comprises an electrocorticogram (ECoG) signal.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the brain signal comprises an electroencephalogram (EEG) signal.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to determine a frequency characteristic of the brain signal, and determine the REM sleep stage of the patient based on the determined frequency characteristic of the brain signal.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the sensing module is separate from the medical device.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the therapy comprises electrical stimulation therapy.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the therapy comprises delivery of a therapeutic agent.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the medical device comprises an implantable medical device.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the therapy is configured to minimize involuntary movement of the patient caused by the movement disorder of the patient.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the movement disorder includes rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the therapy is configured to minimize involuntary movement of one or more limbs of the patient caused by the movement disorder of the patient.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein the medical device is configured to deliver electrical stimulation to a tissue site of a brain of the patient, and wherein the processor is configured to control the medical device to deliver the electrical stimulation to the tissue site of the brain of the patient in response to detecting the REM sleep stage of the patient.

32. A medical device system comprising:

means for detecting a REM sleep stage of a patient; and

means for delivering a therapy to the patient in response to detecting the REM sleep stage of the patient, wherein the therapy is configured to treat a movement disorder of the patient.

33. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising

instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

detect a REM sleep stage of a patient; and

control a therapy module of an implantable medical device to deliver a therapy to the patient in response to detecting the REM sleep stage of the patient, wherein the therapy is configured to treat a movement disorder of the patient.