Method and Device for Detecting a Neural Response in Neural Measurements

An implantable device for processing a neural measurement obtained in the presence of noise, in order to detect whether a locally evoked neural response is present in the neural measurement, the device comprising:

• measurement circuitry for obtaining a first neural measurement from a first sense electrode, and for contemporaneously obtaining a second neural response measurement from a second sense electrode spaced apart from the first electrode along a neural pathway of the neural response;
• and
• a processor configured to determine a neural response decay, being a measure of the decay in the neural response from the first sense electrode to the second sense electrode;
• the processor further configured to calculate a ratio of the neural response decay to an amplitude normalising term;
• and the processor further configured to determine from the ratio whether a locally evoked neural response is present in the neural measurement.

A non-transitory computer readable medium for processing a neural measurement obtained in the presence of noise, in order to detect whether a locally evoked neural response is present in the neural measurement, comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes performance of the following:

• obtaining a first neural measurement from a first sense electrode;
• obtaining a contemporaneous second neural measurement from a second sense electrode spaced apart from the first electrode along a neural pathway of the neural response;
• determining a neural response decay, being a measure of the decay in the neural response from the first sense electrode to the second sense electrode;
• calculating a ratio of the neural response decay to an amplitude normalising term;
• and
• determining from the ratio whether a locally evoked neural response is present in the neural measurement.