METHOD AND SYSTEM OF STIMULATION OF NERVE TISSUE WITH A SEQUENCE OF SPATIALLY DISTRIBUTED RESONANT SUB-THRESHOLD ELECTRICAL STIMULI

• US 20130338743A1
• Filed: 12/01/2011
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of North Carolina Greensboro
• Original Assignee: University of North Carolina Greensboro
• Inventors: Starobin, Joseph M., Varadarajan, Vivek
• Granted Patent: US 8,855,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36103 Neuro-rehabilitation; Repair or reorganisation of neural tissue, e.g. after stroke
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36164 Sub-threshold or non-excitatory signals non-excitatory signals to the heart A61N1/3628
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36171 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36178 Burst or pulse train parameters

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of stimulating an excitable tissue (e.g., in vitro, in vivo) with a primary electrical stimulus through a primary electrode at a primary stimulation frequency, to produce a propagating action potential in the excitable tissue. The invention is carried out by concurrently stimulating the excitable tissue with a secondary electrical stimulus through at least one secondary electrode at a secondary stimulation frequency. The primary and secondary stimulation frequencies are preferably different from one another. The secondary electrical stimulus preferably has an amplitude not more than one third that of the primary electrical stimulus. Preferably, propagation of the action potential in the excitable tissue is enhanced (e.g., when propagation of action potentials in the tissue is otherwise unstable, partially blocked, or fully blocked). Apparatus for carrying out the method is also described.

Claims

1. In a method of stimulating an excitable tissue with a primary electrical stimulus through a primary electrode at a primary stimulation frequency, to produce a propagating action potential in said excitable tissue, the improvement comprising:

concurrently stimulating said excitable tissue with a secondary electrical stimulus through at least one secondary electrode at a secondary stimulation frequency;

wherein said primary and secondary stimulation frequencies are different from one another;

and wherein said secondary electrical stimulus has an amplitude not more than one third that of said primary electrical stimulus;

so that propagation of said action potential in said excitable tissue is enhanced.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said primary stimulation frequency is from 1 Hertz up to 20 Hertz

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said secondary stimulation frequency is from 1 to 15 percent greater than, or 1 to 15 percent less than, said primary stimulation frequency.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein secondary electrical stimulus has an amplitude not more than one tenth that of said primary electrical stimulus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one secondary electrode comprises a plurality of secondary electrodes, said plurality forming an array.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said array comprises:

a leading electrode positioned on said tissue adjacent said primary electrode;

a trailing electrode positioned on said tissue remote from said primary electrode; and

optionally, one or more intervening electrodes positioned on said tissue between said leading electrode and said trailing electrode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said primary electrical stimulus has a duration of from 0.1 seconds to 2 seconds.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said secondary electrical stimulus has a duration of from 0.1 second to 2 seconds.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said excitable tissue is peripheral nerve tissue.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said excitable tissue is injured.

11. (canceled)

12. A tissue stimulator comprising:

(a) a primary electrode array for stimulating an excitable tissue;

(b) at least one secondary electrode for concurrently stimulating said excitable tissue; and

(c) a controller operatively associated with said primary electrode array and said at least one secondary electrode, with

(i) said controller configured to stimulate said excitable tissue through said primary electrode array with a primary electrical stimulus at a primary stimulation frequency, to produce a propagating action potential in said excitable tissue; and

with

(ii) said controller configured to concurrently stimulate said excitable tissue through said at least one secondary electrode with a secondary electrical stimulus at a secondary stimulation frequency;

said controller further configured so that said primary and secondary stimulation frequencies are different from one another; and

wherein said secondary electrical stimulus has an amplitude not more than one third that of said primary electrical stimulus;

so that propagation of said action potential in said excitable tissue is enhanced.

13. The tissue stimulator of claim 12, wherein said primary stimulation frequency is from 1 or 5 Hertz up to 12 or 20 Hertz.

14. The tissue stimulator of claim 12, wherein said secondary stimulation frequency is from 1 to 15 percent greater than, or 1 to 15 percent less than, said primary stimulation frequency.

15. The tissue stimulator of claim 12, wherein secondary electrical stimulus has an amplitude not more than one tenth that of said primary electrical stimulus.

16. The tissue stimulator of claim 12, wherein said at least one secondary electrode comprises a plurality of secondary electrodes.

17. The tissue stimulator of claim 12, wherein said array comprises:

a leading electrode positioned on said tissue adjacent said primary electrode;

a trailing electrode positioned on said tissue remote from said primary; and

optionally, one or more intervening electrodes positioned on said tissue between said leading electrode and said trailing electrode.

18. The tissue stimulator of claim 12, wherein said primary electrical stimulus has a duration of from 0.1 seconds to 2 seconds.

19. The tissue stimulator of claim 12, wherein said secondary electrical stimulus has a duration of from 0.1 seconds to 2 seconds.

20. The tissue stimulator of claim 12, wherein said excitable tissue is peripheral nerve tissue.

21. The tissue stimulator of claim 12, wherein said excitable tissue is injured.

22. The tissue stimulator of claim 12, further comprising a power supply operatively associated with said controller.

23. The tissue stimulator of claim 12, wherein said at least one secondary electrode comprises a plurality of secondary electrodes.