Methods, systems, and devices for pairing vagus nerve stimulation with motor therapy in stroke patients

A method of improving motor deficits in a stroke patient, comprising:

• assessing a stroke patient's motor deficits;
• determining therapeutic goals for the patient, based on the patient's motor deficits;
• selecting a therapeutic task based on the therapeutic goals;
• detecting motion during repetitive performances by the patient of the selected therapeutic task;
• automatically stimulating a vagus nerve of the patient with an implanted neurostimulator that delivers pulse trains of electrical stimulation energy to the vagus nerve when a predetermined motion is detected;
• ending the stimulation of the vagus nerve so that there is no stimulation between the performances;
• and
• improving the patient's motor deficits.

A system for providing therapy for a motor deficit, comprising:

• an implantable stimulation system comprising an implantable pulse generator, an electrode and a lead coupling the implantable pulse generator to the electrodes, wherein the implantable stimulation system stimulates a patient's vagus nerve;
• a clinical controller comprising a processor, stimulation control software, manual interfaces and a display;
• an external communication device configured to communicate between the clinical controller and the implantable stimulation system;
• and
• a manual input device configured to communicate with the clinical controller, wherein the manual input device is configured to be engaged during performance of a therapeutic task causing the clinical controller to send a signal through the external communication device to the implantable stimulation system, so that the patient's vagus nerve is stimulated during the performance of the therapeutic task.

A system for providing automated therapy for a motor deficit, comprising:

• an implantable stimulation system comprising an implantable pulse generator, an electrode and a lead coupling the implantable pulse generator to the electrodes, wherein the implantable stimulation system stimulates a patient's vagus nerve;
• a clinical controller comprising a processor, stimulation control software, manual interfaces and a display;
• an external communication device configured to communicate between the clinical controller and the implantable stimulation system;
• a task object, configured to be used in performance of a therapeutic task;
• a colored marker, configured to attach to the task object and having a predetermined color;
• and
• a motion detector, configured to be coupled to the clinical controller;
• wherein using data generated by the motion detector, the clinical controller is configured to identify a starting location of the colored marker, detects motion of the colored marker associated with performance of the therapeutic task and generates communication with the implantable stimulation system so that the patient's vagus nerve is stimulated during the performance of the therapeutic task.