SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING OR AFFECTING NEURAL STIMULATION EFFICIENCY AND/OR EFFICACY

• US 20140222113A1
• Filed: 12/09/2013
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gliner, Bradford Evan, Wyler, Allen, Fowler, Brad, Sheffield, W. Douglas, Kuntz, Richard, Leyde, Kent, Sloan, Leif R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,186,510 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3606 adapted for a particular treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36064 Epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36067 Movement disorders, e.g. tremor or Parkinson disease stimulating motor muscle A61N1/36003
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36103 Neuro-rehabilitation; Repair or reorganisation of neural tissue, e.g. after stroke
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36135 using physiological parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/901 using storage descriptor, e.g. read or write pointers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Systems and methods for enhancing or affecting neural stimulation efficiency and/or efficacy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and/or method may apply electromagnetic stimulation to a patient'"'"'s nervous system over a first time domain according to a first set of stimulation parameters, and over a second time domain according to a second set of stimulation parameters. The first and second time domains may be sequential, simultaneous, or nested. Stimulation parameters may vary in accordance with one or more types of duty cycle, amplitude, pulse repetition frequency, pulse width, spatiotemporal, and/or polarity variations. Stimulation may be applied at subthreshold, threshold, and/or suprathreshold levels in one or more periodic, aperiodic (e.g., chaotic), and/or pseudo-random manners. In some embodiments stimulation may comprise a burst pattern having an interburst frequency corresponding to an intrinsic brainwave frequency, and regular and/or varying intraburst stimulation parameters. Stimulation signals providing reduced power consumption with at least adequate symptomatic relief may be applied prior to moderate or significant power source depletion.

Claims

1. A method adjusting electrical stimulation based upon drug therapy comprising:

selecting a set of electrical stimulation parameters such that the electrical stimulation accommodates a drug half-life;

evaluating a status of the drug half-life and if the drug half-life is not at an acceptable level, then adjust the electrical stimulation to adequately control a patient'"'"'s symptoms.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the evaluating the status of the drug half-life comprises assessing the patient'"'"'s symptoms.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the drug half-life comprises a drug onset time.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the evaluating step is performed automatically.

5. The method of claim 5 wherein the evaluating step is performed by a clock or timer.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the evaluating step is performed in response to receipt and/or analysis of a set of signals received from a patient monitoring device.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the patient monitoring device comprises a motion sensor.

8. An apparatus for treating a neural condition of a patient, comprising:

an implantable stimulation device having at least one implantable stimulator configured to be positioned in signal communication with neural tissue of a patient'"'"'s nervous system, the stimulation device configured to be implanted in the patient;

an implantable signal generator;

a signal communication link operatively coupled between the stimulation device and the signal generator; and

a controller operatively coupled to the signal generator, the controller being configured to provide instructions to the signal generator to direct an application of electrical stimulation to the patient in a manner to accommodate for drug-half life.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a sensor operatively coupled to the stimulation device and the signal generator.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the sensor is a motion sensor.

11. An apparatus for treating a neural condition of a patient, comprising:

an implantable stimulation device having at least one implantable stimulator configured to be positioned in signal communication with neural tissue of the patient'"'"'s nervous system, the stimulation device configured to be implanted in the patient;

an implantable signal generator;

a signal communication link operatively coupled between the stimulation device and the signal generator; and

a controller operatively coupled to the signal generator, the controller being configured to provide instructions to the signal generator to direct an application of electrical stimulation to the patient in a manner such that the stimulation has a burst frequency and an intra-burst frequency greater than the burst frequency.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the intra-burst frequency varies from burst to burst.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the intra-burst frequency is generally similar to natural brainwaves.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the natural brainwaves are selected from a group consisting of alpha, beta, gamma, delta or theta.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the intra-burst frequency is about 50 Hz to about 500 Hz.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the stimulation is directed to different electrodes.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the stimulation is directed over different time domains.