System for chemical modulation of neural activity

• US 20090149896A1
• Filed: 06/18/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Soovu Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Goodall, Eleanor V., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Wood, Victoria Y.H., Leuthardt, Eric C., Dacey, Ralph G. JR., Della Rocca, Gregory J., Dowling, Joshua L., Derdeyn, Colin P., Zipfel, Gregory J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• 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 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4041 Evaluating nerves condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/00 Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body heating or cooling means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses A47C21/00 ; massage, therapeutic baths A61H; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14208 with a programmable infusion control system, characterised by the infusion program
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1726 the body parameters being measured at, or proximate to, the infusion site
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0007 having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0244 Micromachined materials, e.g. made from silicon wafers, microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] or comprising nanotechnology
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1003 Spinal column
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0015 by using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 : specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 : controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• 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 1/0412 : Specially adapted for transcutaneous electroporation, e.g. including drug reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0428 : Specially adapted for iontophoresis, e.g. AC, DC or including drug reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/303 : Constructional details electrodes for external use A61N1/0428
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/306 : Arrangements where at least part of the apparatus is introduced into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 : for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/327 : for enhancing the absorption properties of tissue, e.g. by electroporation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36014 : External stimulators, e.g. with patch electrodes external pacemakers A61N1/3625
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 : Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36189 : using modulation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36535 : controlled by body position or posture
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36542 : controlled by body motion, e.g. acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/006 : for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 : Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

Methods and related systems for modulating neural activity by repetitively blocking conduction in peripheral neural structures with chemical blocking agents are disclosed. Methods and systems for reversing effects of chemical blocking agents and/or for producing substantially permanent conduction block are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A neural modulation system comprising:

a signal input structure configured to receive a signal indicative of an activity state of at least a portion of a body of a subject innervated by a peripheral neural structure;

a signal processing portion configured to;

distinguish a first activity state of the at least a portion of the body of the subject innervated by the peripheral neural structure from a second activity state of the at least a portion of the body of the subject innervated by the peripheral neural structure from the signal received at the signal input structure; and

generate a chemical blocking agent control signal for driving delivery of a chemical blocking agent adapted to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject during at least a portion of the first activity state; and

a chemical blocking agent source configured to deliver the chemical blocking agent responsive to the chemical blocking agent control signal.

2. The neural modulation system of claim 1, including a sensor operatively connected to the signal input structure and configured to generate the signal indicative of the activity state of the at least a portion of the body of the subject innervated by the peripheral neural structure responsive to an activity of the at least a portion of the body of the subject.

4. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the chemical blocking agent source is configured to produce blockage of a subset of nerve fibers in the peripheral neural structure of the subject responsive to the chemical blocking agent control signal.

17. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the chemical blocking agent source is configured to deliver two or more chemical agents.

18. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the chemical blocking agent source is configured to deliver one or more chemical agents at two or more locations.

25. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to:

determine an onset of the first activity state; and

generate the chemical blocking agent control signal for driving delivery of the chemical blocking agent adapted to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject at least intermittently responsive to detecting the onset of a first activity state in the subject.

28. The neural modulation system of claim 25, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to:

initiate a release period during which no chemical blocking agent control signal is generated after an interval determined relative to an onset of generation of the chemical blocking agent control signal.

29. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to:

predict an onset of the first activity state; and

generate the chemical blocking agent control signal for driving delivery of the chemical blocking agent adapted to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject at least intermittently relative to the predicted onset of the first activity state in the subject.

33. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to:

determine an onset of the second activity state in the subject; and

initiate a release period during which no chemical blocking agent control signal is generated responsive to detecting the second activity state in the subject.

36. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to:

predict the onset of the second activity state in the subject; and

initiate a release period during which no chemical blocking agent control signal is generated relative to a predicted onset of the second activity state in the subject.

40. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to generate a release stimulus control signal for controlling discontinuation of delivery of the chemical blocking agent when the subject is in a second activity state.

41. The neural modulation system of claim 40, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to repetitively generate the chemical blocking agent control signal for driving delivery of the chemical blocking agent adapted to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject during at least a portion of the first activity state and generate the release stimulus control signal for controlling discontinuation of delivery of the chemical blocking agent when the subject is in the second activity state.

44. The neural modulation system of claim 41, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to repetitively generate the chemical blocking agent control signal for driving delivery of the chemical blocking agent adapted to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject during at least a portion of the first activity state and generate the release stimulus control signal for controlling discontinuation of delivery of the chemical blocking agent when the subject is in the second activity state cyclically, wherein each cycle includes a blocking period during which the chemical blocking agent sufficient to produce reversible conduction block in the peripheral neural structure of the subject is delivered while the subject is in the first activity state and a release period during which no chemical blocking agent is delivered.

46. The neural modulation system of claim 41, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to repetitively generate the chemical blocking agent control signal for driving delivery of the chemical blocking agent adapted to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject during at least a portion of the first activity state and generate the release stimulus control signal for controlling discontinuation of delivery of the chemical blocking agent when the subject is in the second activity state in alternation according to a pre-set schedule.

47. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the chemical blocking agent source includes:

a primary chemical blocking agent source configured to deliver a primary chemical blocking agent component; and

a secondary chemical blocking agent source configured to deliver a secondary chemical blocking agent component;

wherein the primary chemical blocking agent component and the secondary chemical blocking agent component act together to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure, and wherein the signal processing portion is configured to generate a chemical blocking agent control signal including a primary chemical blocking agent control signal for driving delivery of the primary chemical blocking agent component and a secondary chemical blocking agent control signal for driving delivery of the secondary chemical blocking agent component.

64. The neural modulation system of claim 4, wherein the subset of nerve fibers in the peripheral neural structure of the subject includes at least one of nerve fibers within a selected diameter range, nerve fibers within a selected spatial distribution within the peripheral neural structure, or nerve fibers including a selected molecular feature.

65. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the chemical blocking agent source includes at least one of an iontophoresis device, an electroporation device, a sonophoresis device, a phonophoresis device, a microneedle array, a MEMS device, a plurality of microreservoirs, a chemical blocking agent in a polymeric matrix, or an infusion pump.

66. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the chemical blocking agent source includes at least one of an electric field source, an electrical current source, a magnetic field source, an electromagnetic transducer, an acoustic energy source, or an ultrasonic acoustic energy source.

67. The neural modulation system of claim 25, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to generate the chemical blocking agent control signal for driving delivery of the chemical blocking agent adapted to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject at a time selected from substantially immediately upon detecting the onset of the first activity state in the subject and at a delay interval after detecting the onset of the first activity state in the subject.

68. The neural modulation system of claim 29, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to generate the chemical blocking agent control signal for driving delivery of the chemical blocking agent adapted to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject at least intermittently at a time selected from prior to the predicted onset of the first activity state in the subject, substantially simultaneously with the predicted onset of the first activity state in the subject, and subsequent to the predicted onset of the first activity state in the subject.

69. The neural modulation system of claim 33, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to:

initiate the release period at a time selected from substantially immediately upon detection of the onset of the second activity state in the subject and at a delay interval after detection of an onset of the second activity state in the subject.

70. The neural modulation system of claim 36, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to:

initiate the release period at a time selected from at an interval prior to the predicted onset of the second activity state in the subject, substantially simultaneously with the predicted onset of the second activity state in the subject, and at a delay interval after the predicted onset of the second activity state in the subject.

71. The neural modulation system of claim 41, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to repetitively generate the chemical blocking agent control signal for driving delivery of the chemical blocking agent adapted to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject during at least a portion of the first activity state and generate the release stimulus control signal for controlling discontinuation of delivery of the chemical blocking agent when the subject is in the second activity state over a period of time sufficient to produce modulation of at least one of an immune response or an inflammatory response in a region innervated by the peripheral neural structure.

3. (canceled)

5-16. -16. (canceled)

19-24. -24. (canceled)

26-27. -27. (canceled)

30-32. -32. (canceled)

34-35. -35. (canceled)

37-39. -39. (canceled)

42-43. -43. (canceled)

45. (canceled)

48. A neural modulation system comprising:

a signal input structure configured to receive a signal indicative of an activity state of at least a portion of a body of a subject innervated by a peripheral neural structure;

a signal processing portion configured to;

distinguish a first activity state of the at least a portion of the body of the subject innervated by the peripheral neural structure from a second activity state of the at least a portion of the body of the subject innervated by the peripheral neural structure from the signal received at the signal input structure;

generate a chemical blocking agent control signal for driving delivery of a chemical blocking agent adapted to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject during at least a portion of the first activity state;

determine that producing a reversible conduction block in the peripheral neural structure of the subject while the subject is in the first activity state results in a desired effect in the subject; and

generate a non-reversible blocking source control signal for driving a non-reversible blocking source to perform an action adapted for producing a non-reversible conduction block in the peripheral neural structure of the subject;

a chemical blocking agent source configured to deliver the chemical blocking agent responsive to the chemical blocking agent control signal; and

the non-reversible blocking source configured to perform the action adapted for producing the non-reversible conduction block in the peripheral neural structure of the subject responsive to the non-reversible blocking source control signal.

72. The neural modulation system of claim 48, wherein the non-reversible blocking source includes at least one of a heat source, a cooling source, an electrical current source, an acoustic energy source, a photon source, a chemical agent source, or a surgical transection mechanism.

73. The neural modulation system of claim 48, wherein the non-reversible blocking source includes a heat source configured to produce thermal ablation of at least a portion of the peripheral neural structure of the subject.

74. The neural modulation system of claim 48, wherein the non-reversible blocking source includes a heat source that includes at least one of a Peltier device, a resistive element, a fluid heat-transfer device, or an exothermic reaction device.

75. The neural modulation system of claim 48, wherein the non-reversible blocking source includes a cooling source that includes at least one of a Peltier device, an endothermic reaction device, or a fluid heat-transfer device.

49-63. -63. (canceled)