Vagal nerve stimulation for treating central nervous sytem disorders

Abstract

Devices and methods are disclosed for treating one or more symptoms of a central nervous system disorder in a patient, such as fibromyalgia, anxiety, traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A device comprises one or more electrodes configured for contacting an outer skin surface of the patient and an energy source coupled to the electrodes. The energy source generates at least one electrical impulse and transmits the electrical impulse transcutaneously from the electrodes through the outer skin surface of the patient to a vagus nerve in the patient. The electrical impulse comprises a burst period and a constant period. Each burst period comprises 2 to 20 pulses that alternate between a positive and negative electric field charge and at least a portion of each constant period comprises zero pulses. The electrical impulse is sufficient to modify the vagus nerve such that the symptoms of the disorder are reduced.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.