System and method for monitoring and controlling nervous system behavior using autonomic features
AssigneeUnversity of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsJohn Bonar WILLIAMSON, Damon Geoffrey LAMB, Eric S. Carter PORGES
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Abstract
Respiratory sinus arrhythmia, or another bodily function that indicates a patient's parasympathetic tone, is used to control the delivery of vagal nerve stimulation to the patient for treating disorders that can be reflected and influenced by the behavior of the autonomic nervous system.
Claims21
A system for stimulating the autonomic nervous system and interconnected brain systems that are part of the efferent and afferent pathways of the vagus or trigeminal nerves of a human patient in accordance with the state of the parasympathetic branch of said autonomic nervous system, comprising:
- monitoring means for continuously monitoring an index of parasympathetic nervous system behavior of the patient;
- stimulating means for stimulating the autonomic nervous system;
- and
- controlling means operatively connected to the monitoring means and to the stimulating means, the controlling means continuously regulating the stimulating means in a manner that said autonomic nervous system is stimulated in accordance with the monitored index of parasympathetic nervous system behavior of the patient.
A method of treating a non-cardiovascular disorder of the autonomic nervous system or a brain disorder reflected by activity of the autonomic nervous system in a human patient, comprising:
- monitoring an index of parasympathetic, sympathetic, or derived index of autonomic nervous system behavior of the patient;
- determining, based upon said monitoring, whether stimulation of said autonomic nervous system is required;
- if stimulation of said autonomic nervous system is required, stimulating said autonomic nervous system as required by said determining step;
- continuing to monitor the index of parasympathetic nervous system behavior of the patient;
- and
- controlling stimulation of said autonomic nervous system in accordance with an index of parasympathetic nervous system behavior of the patient.
A method of treating a non-cardiovascular disorder of the autonomic nervous system in a human patient, comprising:
- monitoring a bodily function that represents the patient's parasympathetic tone;
- determining, based upon said monitoring of said bodily function, whether stimulation of said autonomic nervous system is required;
- if stimulation of said autonomic nervous system is required, stimulating said autonomic nervous system as required by said determining step;
- continuing to monitor said bodily function;
- and
- controlling stimulation of said autonomic nervous system in accordance with said bodily function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.