Variation of Neural Stimulation Parameters
AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.
InventorPaul Stypulkowski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques for varying stimulus parameters used in neural stimulation to improve therapy efficacy, minimize energy consumption, minimize undesired side effects, and minimize loss of therapeutic effectiveness due to physiologic tolerance to stimulation. Neural stimulation is provided having a stimulation amplitude, a stimulation frequency, a stimulation pulse duration, an electrode-firing pattern, and a set of electrode-firing-polarity conditions. At least one of the stimulation parameters is pseudo-randomly varied. A second stimulation parameter is changed based upon having pseudo-randomly varied the first stimulation parameter and based upon a predetermined relationship specifying how changes in the first parameter affect desirable values for the second parameter.
Claims20
A neural-stimulation device comprising:
- means for measuring a strength-duration curve for neural excitation for at least one of a patient's neurons;
- means for providing neural stimulation having a plurality of stimulation parameters including a stimulation amplitude, a stimulation frequency, a stimulation pulse duration, an electrode-firing pattern, and a set of one or more electrode-polarity-firing conditions;
- means for pseudo-randomly varying at least a first of the stimulation parameters;
- and
- means for changing a value of a second of the stimulation parameters based upon having pseudo-randomly varied the first stimulation parameter and based upon the measured strength-duration curve that specifies how changes in the first parameter affect desirable values for the second parameter.
A neural-stimulation system comprising:
- at least one neural-stimulation lead, wherein at least one of the leads has at least one neural-stimulation electrode;
- and
- a neural-stimulation device operatively coupled to the at least one neural-stimulation lead, wherein the neural-stimulation device:
- provides neural stimulation having a plurality of stimulation parameters including a stimulation amplitude, a stimulation frequency, a stimulation pulse duration, an electrode-firing pattern, and a set of one or more electrode-polarity-firing conditions,
- pseudo-randomly varying at least a first of the stimulation parameters, and
- changes a value of a second of the stimulation parameters based upon having varied the first stimulation parameter and based upon a strength-duration curve of neural excitation to achieve a desirable clinical outcome.
A neural-stimulation method comprising:
- measuring a strength-duration curve for neural excitation and observing whether a desired clinical outcome is achieved, the desired clinical outcome including the reduction of tremor via thalamic stimulation;
- providing neural stimulation having a plurality of stimulation parameters;
- pseudo-randomly varying at least a first of the stimulation parameters;
- and
- changing a value of a second of the stimulation parameters based upon having pseudo-randomly varied the first stimulation parameter and based upon a predetermined relationship that specifies how changes in the first parameter affect desirable values for the second parameter, the predetermined relationship substantially similar to the strength-duration curve for neural excitation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.