METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR REMOTE NEURAL MODULATION BRAIN STIMULATION AND FEEDBACK CONTROL

• US 20140277257A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Curonix Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Micron Devices LLC
• Inventors: Perryman, Laura Tyler, ANDRESEN, Chad
• Granted Patent: US 9,433,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/293 Invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/086 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] compatible leads
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36064 Epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36125 Details of circuitry or electric components
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus is presented for a wireless neural modulation feedback control system as it relates to an implantable medical device comprised of a radio frequency (RF) receiver circuit, one or more dipole or patch antenna(s), one or more electrode leads connected to at least one dipole or patch antenna(s), and at least one microelectronic neural modulation circuit, and an external or internally implanted RF device to neurally modulate brain tissue in order to treat medical conditions that can be mediated by neuronal activation or inhibition, such as Parkinson'"'"'s, Alzheimer'"'"'s, epilepsy, other motor or mood based disorders, and/or pain. The implantable receiver captures energy radiated by the RF transmitter unit and converts this energy to an electrical waveform by the implanted neural modulation circuit to deliver energy that can be utilized by the attached electrode pads in order to activate targeted neurons in the brain.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wireless neural modulation brain stimulation, the apparatus comprising:

one or more implantable electrode leads for placement in proximity to neurons to be stimulated, the one or more leads comprising at least one electrode for providing stimulation and at least one separate electrode for collecting data;

a first receiver configured to receive energy radiated from a source; and

neural stimulator circuitry configured to deliver electrical stimulus signals to neurons through the at least one electrode for providing stimulation, based at least in part on the received radiated energy.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter as a source of the radiated energy;

a command receiver configured to receive parameter-setting commands; and

a controller coupled with the transmitter and the command receiver, the controller configured to adjust the energy radiated based at least in part on the received parameter-setting commands.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which the parameter-setting commands relate to at least one of amplitude, pulse width, or frequency.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter coupled with the neural stimulator circuitry;

in which the neural stimulator circuitry is further configured to transmit a telemetry signal using the transmitter, the telemetry signal based at least in part on data collected using the at least one electrode for collecting data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, in which the telemetry signal indicates a strength of stimulus for the energy into the neurons.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a second transmitter as a source of the energy radiated;

a second receiver configured to wirelessly receive the telemetry signal; and

a controller coupled with the transmitter and the second receiver, the controller configured to;

compare information of the telemetry signal to a look-up table to estimate a current or a shape; and

adjust the energy radiated by the second transmitter based at least in part on the estimated current or shape.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, in which the controller is further configured to, at least one of:

amplify, filter, or modulate the received telemetry signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, in which the controller is further configured to digitize a modulated telemetry signal with an A-to-D converter.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more dipole or patch antennas coupled with the one or more implantable electrode leads.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the first receiver is configured to receive the radiated energy via one or more radio frequency (RF) signals.

11. An implantable lead for wireless neural modulation brain stimulation, the lead comprising:

at least one electrode for providing stimulation to the neurons to be stimulated; and

at least one electrode for collecting data to be provided to device circuitry.

12. A method of managing an brain impairment condition of a patient, the method comprising:

utilizing a wireless receiver for receiving energy radiated from a source;

delivering, using the device circuitry, electrical stimulus signals to neurons of a patient diagnosed with a brain disorder through at least one electrode of an electrode lead implanted in the patient, the at least one electrode for providing stimulation, in which the electrical stimulus signals are based at least in part on the received radiated energy; and

collecting data, through one or more electrodes of the implanted electrode lead, which are configured to collect data.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

utilizing a transmitter as a source for transmitting the radiated energy;

receiving, by a command receiver, parameter-setting commands; and

adjusting, by a controller coupled with the transmitter and the command receiver, the energy radiated, based at least in part on the received parameter-setting commands.

14. The method of claim 13, in which the parameter-setting commands relate to at least one of amplitude, pulse width, or frequency.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting, by a transmitter coupled with the device circuitry, a telemetry signal, the telemetry signal based at least in part on data collected using the one or more electrodes.

16. The method of claim 15, in which the telemetry signal indicates a strength of stimulus provided to the neurons.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

radiating energy, using a second transmitter;

receiving, wirelessly, by a second receiver, a telemetry signal; and

comparing, using a controller coupled with the transmitter and the second receiver, information of the telemetry signal to a look-up table to estimate a current or a shape; and

adjusting, by the controller, the energy radiated, based at least in part on the estimated current or shape.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising, at least one of:

amplifying, filtering, or modulating, by the controller, the received telemetry signal.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

digitizing, by the controller, a modulated telemetry signal with an A-to-D converter.

20. The method of claim 12, in which the wireless receiver receives the radiated energy via one or more radio frequency (RF) signals.