# US 2013/0158448 A1 · Stimulation of hypothalamus

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- Number: US 2013/0158448 A1
- Document ID: US20130158448A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/714,612
- Filed: 2012-12-14
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16
- Assignees: Chordate Medical AB
- Inventors: Jan-Erik JUTO; Fredrik JUTO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158448A1

## CPC

- A61H 1/00: Apparatus for passive exercising (A61H5/00 takes precedence); Vibrating apparatus; Chiropractic devices, e.g. body impacting devices, external devices for briefly extending or aligning unbroken bones
- A61H 9/0078: {with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs (mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776)}
- A61H 21/00: Massage devices for cavities of the body {, e.g. nose, ears and anus (for the genitals A61H19/00); Vibration or percussion related aspects A61H23/00}
- A61H 23/02: with electric or magnetic drive
- A61H 23/04: with hydraulic or pneumatic drive {(hydraulic or Pneumatic massages, A61H9/00; underwater massages, A61H33/00)}
- A61H 2201/0103: inflatable
- A61H 2201/5071: Pressure sensors
- A61H 2205/023: Nose
- A61H 2230/045: used as a control parameter for the apparatus
- A61H 2230/065: used as a control parameter for the apparatus
- A61H 2230/105: used as a control parameter for the apparatus
- A61H 2230/505: used as a control parameter for the apparatus
- A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N)

## Abstract

A method for stimulating the hypothalamus in a human subject, comprising the step of imparting vibrations to a posterior part of a nasal cavity of the human subject is provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for stimulating the hypothalamus in a human subject, comprising the step of imparting vibrations to a posterior part of a nasal cavity of the human subject.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of imparting vibrations at at least one frequency selected from the range of approximately 40 to 100 Hz.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of exerting a pressure of between approximately 70 and 120 mbar on the tissue of the posterior part of the nasal cavity.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
obtaining an input signal reflecting a measure of hypothalamic activity; and
storing consecutive time samples of said input signal together with at least one of a frequency of the vibrations imparted to the posterior part of the nasal cavity, an amplitude of the vibrations imparted to the posterior part of the nasal cavity, and a pressure exerted on a tissue of the posterior part of the nasal cavity.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of terminating the vibratory stimulation in the posterior part of the nasal cavity when the input signal reflecting a measure of hypothalamic activity has reached a first threshold.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5, wherein the nasal cavity is a first nasal cavity, said method further comprising the step of imparting vibrations to a posterior part of a second nasal cavity of the human subject when the input signal reflecting a measure of hypothalamic activity has reached a second threshold for stimulation in the first nasal cavity.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:
comparing the input signal with a previously obtained time sample; and
adjusting at least one of frequency, amplitude and pressure, if the difference between a later obtained value of the input signal and the previously obtained value lies within a threshold tolerance, said adjusting being performed using a method selected from:
a random adjustment;
an adjustment calculated by applying settings from a pre-defined grid;
an adjustment calculated by applying a heuristic search;
an adjustment calculated from a pre-programmed look-up table comprising correlations between desired activity level changes and at least one of frequency, amplitude, and pressure; and
an adjustment calculated by identifying correlations between changes in the stored time samples and changes in the stored at least one of frequency, amplitude, and pressure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:
determining if the input signal is approaching a desired value reflecting a desired level of hypothalamic activity, said determination comprising comparing the difference between the input signal and the desired value with the difference between the previous time sample and the desired value; and
if it is determined that the desired value is not approached, adjusting at least one of the frequency, the amplitude and the pressure using a method selected from:
a random adjustment;
an adjustment calculated by applying settings from a pre-defined grid;
an adjustment calculated by applying a heuristic search;
an adjustment calculated from a look-up table comprising correlations between desired activity level changes and at least one of frequency, amplitude, and pressure; and
an adjustment calculated by identifying correlations between changes in the stored time samples and changes in the stored at least one of frequency, amplitude, and pressure.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of terminating stimulation when a maximum time period has elapsed.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of obtaining an input signal reflecting a measure of hypothalamic activity by functional neuroimaging.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein the input signal reflecting a measure of hypothalamic activity is selected from the group consisting of oxygen consumption as measured by fMRI, metabolic activity as measured by PET, magnetic signals as measured with MEG, and electrical signals as measured with EEG.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of obtaining an input signal reflecting a measure of hypothalamic activity, wherein the input signal is selected from the group consisting of heart rate, pupil size, body temperature, pain sensation and blood pressure.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting a treatment area in the posterior part of the nasal cavity and imparting vibrations to the selected treatment area.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing the vibratory stimulation to a human subject suffering from a disease characterized by a dysfunction in the hypothalamus.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method according to claim 14, wherein the disease is selected from the group consisting of migraine, Ménière's disease, hypertension, cluster headache, arrhythmia, ALS, irritable bowel syndrome, sleep disorders, diabetes, obesity, multiple sclerosis, tinnitus, Alzheimer's disease, mood and anxiety disorders and epilepsy.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
a) providing a device comprising an expandable stimulation member and a tubular structure arranged at least partly within the stimulation member, wherein the tubular structure is provided with a plurality of openings arranged for fluid communication with the stimulation member;
b) introducing the stimulation member in an essentially non-expanded state into the posterior part of the nasal cavity of the human subject;
c) expanding the stimulation member such as to exert a pressure on a surrounding tissue in the posterior part of the nasal cavity; and
d) bringing the stimulation member to vibrate in the posterior part of the nasal cavity.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:
bringing the stimulation member to an essentially non-expanded state;
removing the stimulation member from the nasal cavity; and
repeating the steps b)-d) in a second nasal cavity of the human subject.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of imparting vibrations at at least one frequency selected from the range of approximately 60 to 70 Hz.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of exerting an average pressure of between approximately 90 mbar and approximately 105 mbar on the tissue of the posterior part of the nasal cavity.