Anti-habituating sleep therapy for a closed loop neuromodulator

• US 8,834,347 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2009
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dymedix Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dymedix Corporation
• Inventors: Henke, Reinhold, Johnston, Evan S., Jones, Alan B., Stasz, Peter, Zymowski, Thomas H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilbert, Samuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dorna, Carrie R
• Application Number:
  US12/583,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20100063350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 600 26- 28, 600/529, 600532-542, 128/848, 128/897, 128/898, 607/42
• US Class Current: 600/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4058 for evaluating the central nervous system A61B5/4806, A61B5/4821 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0033 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0011 in a subliminal way, i.e. below the threshold of sensation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0022 by the tactile sense, e.g. vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0066 with heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0072 with application of electrical currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/40 Respiratory characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 of respiratory organs
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 1/0007 of radio frequency interference filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/1252 Two integrator-loop-filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/126 using a single operational amplifier H03H11/1204 takes precedence; parallel-T filters H03H11/1295
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

This document discusses, among other things, a system and method for anti-habituating sleep therapy using a closed loop neuromodulator. A first sleep disorder event can be detected using first activity information, and a first series of stimuli can be provided, in response to the first sleep disorder event, using a set of stimulus parameters. A habituation event can be detected and anti-habituation stimulation parameter can be adjusted to avoid patient habituation to the stimuli.

Claims

1. A system for providing anti-habituating sleep therapy, the system comprising:

a closed loop neuromodulator configured to receive first activity information from a patient, to detect a first sleep disorder event using the first activity information, and to provide, in response to the first sleep disorder event, a first series of stimuli using a set of stimulation parameters;

wherein the first series of stimuli includes;

a first stimulus configured to not interrupt the first sleep disorder event; and

a second stimulus, following the first stimulus, the second stimulus having more energy than the first stimulus and configured to interrupt the first sleep disorder event;

wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to detect a habituation event and to adjust an anti-habituation stimulation parameter in response to the detected habituation event;

wherein the habituation event includes habituation to the first series of stimuli, and wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to detect the habituation to the first series of stimuli using at least one of;

a stimulus energy threshold;

a number of stimuli in the first series of stimuli;

or

a duration of the first sleep disorder event;

wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to adjust the anti-habituation stimulation parameter after an energy of the first series of stimuli exceeds the stimulus energy threshold; and

wherein the energy of the first series of stimuli includes at least one of;

an average energy of the first series of stimuli;

a total energy of the first series of stimuli;

or

an energy of one stimulus of the first series of stimuli.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the habituation event includes at least one of:

a stimulus energy;

a stimulus count;

or

a duration.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to detect the habituation event using at least one of:

a stimulus energy threshold;

a stimulus count threshold;

or

a predetermined time interval.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to adjust the anti-habituation stimulation parameter after the number of stimuli provided before interruption of the first sleep disorder event exceeds the stimulus count threshold.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to adjust the anti-habituation stimulation after the duration of the first sleep disorder event exceeds a duration threshold.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the anti-habituation stimulus parameter includes at least one of:

a stimulation sequence;

a stimulation type;

or

an escalation envelope function.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the closed loop neuromodulator is configured to receive second activity information from a sensor, to detect a second sleep disorder event using the second activity information, and to provide, in response to the second sleep disorder event, a second series of stimuli using the adjusted anti-habituation stimulation parameter.

8. The system of claim 1, including a sensor configured to detect information indicative of respiration from the patient;

wherein the sensor includes at least one of a thermocouple, a thermistor, an air pressure transducer, an electrode, a respiratory effort belt, or a pyro/piezoelectric sensor; and

wherein the first activity information includes the information indicative of respiration from the patient.

9. The system of claim 1, including a transducer configured to receive the first series of stimuli from the closed loop neuromodulator and to deliver the first series of stimuli to the patient;

and

wherein the transducer includes at least one of an acoustic transducer, a tactile mechanical agitator, an ocular stimulator, an electrode, an thermo transducer, or an ultrasonic stimulator configured to modulate an audible signal onto an ultrasonic sound carrier.

10. A method for providing anti-habituating sleep therapy, the method comprising:

receiving first activity information from a patient using a closed loop neuromodulator;

detecting, using the closed loop neuromodulator, a first sleep disorder event using the first activity information;

providing, using the closed loop neuromodulator and in response to the first sleep disorder event, a first series of stimuli using a set of stimulation parameters, including;

providing a first stimulus configured to not interrupt the first sleep disorder event; and

providing a second stimulus, after the first stimulus, the second stimulus having more energy than the first stimulus and configured to interrupt the first sleep disorder event;

detecting a habituation event using the closed loop neuromodulator;

adjusting, using the closed loop neuromodulator, an anti-habituation stimulation parameter in response to the detected habituation event;

wherein the detecting the habituation event includes detecting habituation to the first series of stimuli including using at least one of;

a stimulus energy threshold;

a number of stimuli in the first series of stimuli;

or

a duration of the first sleep disorder event;

wherein the adjusting the anti-habituation stimulation parameter includes adjusting an anti-habituation stimulation parameter after an energy of the first series of stimuli exceeds the stimulus energy threshold; and

wherein the energy of the first series of stimuli includes at least one of;

an average energy of the first series of stimuli;

a total energy of the first series of stimuli;

or

an energy of one stimulus of the first series of stimuli.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the detecting the habituation event includes detecting at least one of:

a stimulus energy;

a stimulus count;

or

a duration.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the detecting the habituation event includes using at least one of:

a stimulus energy threshold;

a stimulus count threshold;

or

a predetermined time interval.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the anti-habituation stimulation parameter includes adjusting an anti-habituation stimulation parameter after the number of stimuli provided before interruption of the first sleep disorder event exceeds a stimulus count threshold.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the anti-habituation stimulation parameter includes adjusting an anti-habituation stimulation parameter after the duration of the first sleep disorder event exceeds a duration threshold.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the anti-habituation stimulation parameter in response to the detected habituation event includes adjusting at least one of:

a stimulus sequence;

a stimulus type;

or

an escalation envelope function.

16. The method of claim 10, including:

receiving second activity information from the patient using the closed loop neuromodulator;

detecting, using the closed loop neuromodulator, a second sleep disorder event using the second activity information; and

providing, using the closed loop neuromodulator and in response to the second sleep disorder event, a second series of stimuli using the adjusted anti-habituation stimulation parameter.