Providing output indicative of subject's disease state

• US 7,930,035 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Original Assignee: NeuroVista Corporation
• Inventors: DiLorenzo, Daniel John
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow; Scott M
• Application Number:
  US11/743,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20080119900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 607/45
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1101 Detecting tremor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• 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 5/4082 Diagnosing or monitoring movement diseases, e.g. Parkinson, Huntington or Tourette
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6864 Burr holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6868 Brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0539 Anchoring of brain electrode systems, e.g. within burr hole
• 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 1/36114 : Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 : with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 : Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 : from an external energy source

Abstract

A neurological control system for modulating activity of any component or structure comprising the entirety or portion of the nervous system, or any structure interfaced thereto, generally referred to herein as a “nervous system component.” The neurological control system generates neural modulation signals delivered to a nervous system component through one or more neuromodulators to control neurological state and prevent neurological signs and symptoms. Such treatment parameters may be derived from a neural response to previously delivered neural modulation signals sensed by one or more sensors, each configured to sense a particular characteristic indicative of a neurological or psychiatric condition.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a disease state of a subject suffering from a neurological disorder, the method comprising:

processing one or more signals from a subject to estimate the subject'"'"'s disease state, wherein the neurological disorder comprises epilepsy and the disease state comprises the subject'"'"'s susceptibility to a future seizure;

determining if the subject'"'"'s disease state is within a target range of an inter-ictal state, wherein the target range is indicative of a low susceptibility to the future seizure; and

providing an output to the subject that comprises an indication that the subject'"'"'s disease state is within the target range of the inter-ictal state.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the output comprises providing a substantially continuous real-time indication of the subject'"'"'s disease state.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising initiating a therapy to the subject if the disease state indicates an elevated susceptibility to a seizure.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the therapy comprises a drug or chemical agent.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the drug or chemical agent is automatically delivered to the subject with an implanted dispenser.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein initiating the therapy comprises delivering stimulation to the subject'"'"'s brain.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein initiating the therapy comprises stimulating a peripheral nerve or a cranial nerve of the subject.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein initiating the therapy comprises a cooling therapy.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein parameters of the therapy are titrated to the subject'"'"'s estimated disease state.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more signals comprise EEG signals from the subject.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the EEG signals are sampled from the subject using intracranial electrodes.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the EEG signals are sampled from the subject using electrodes implanted between the subject'"'"'s scalp and the subject'"'"'s skull.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the EEG signals are sampled from the subject using microelectrodes.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein processing the EEG signals is performed in an interface module that is external to the subject'"'"'s body.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein processing the EEG signals is performed in a unit implanted in the subject'"'"'s body.

16. A method for monitoring a disease state of a subject suffering from epilepsy, the method comprising:

processing one or more brain activity signals from a subject to estimate the subject'"'"'s susceptibility to a seizure;

determining if the subject'"'"'s susceptibility to a seizure is within a control range of an inter-ictal state, wherein the control range is indicative of a low susceptibility to the seizure; and

when the subject'"'"'s susceptibility to the seizure is within the control range of the inter-ictal state, providing a communication to the subject that comprises an indication that the subject'"'"'s susceptibility to the seizure is within the control range of the inter-ictal state.