Implantable Electroacupuncture System and Method for Treating Depression and Similar Mental Conditions

An implantable stimulator for treating a mental disorder of a patient, comprising:

• a housing configured to be implanted beneath a skin surface of the patient,
• pulse generation circuitry located within the housing, wherein the pulse generation circuitry is configured to
• generate stimulation sessions at a duty cycle that is less than 0.05, and
• apply, in accordance with the duty cycle, the stimulation sessions a tissue location associated with the mental disorder;
• and
• a primary battery located within the housing and having an internal impedance greater than 5 ohms, the primary battery configured to provide operating power to the pulse generation circuitry;
• wherein
• the duty cycle is a ratio of T3 to T4, and
• each stimulation session included in the stimulation sessions has a duration of T3 minutes and occurs at a rate of once every T4 minutes.

A system for treating a mental disorder of a patient, comprising:

• means for generating, within an implantable stimulator configured to be implanted beneath a skin surface of the patient, stimulation sessions at a duty cycle that is less than 0.05, wherein
• the duty cycle is a ratio of T3 to T4,
• each stimulation session included in the stimulation sessions has a duration of T3 minutes and occurs at a rate of once every T4 minutes, and
• the implantable stimulator is powered by a primary battery located within the implantable stimulator and having an internal impedance greater than 5 ohms;
• and
• means for applying, in accordance with the duty cycle, the stimulation sessions to a tissue location associated with the mental disorder.