# US 9,872,985 B2 · Glucose regulation via electrical stimulation of nerves innervating the liver > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,872,985 B2 - Document ID: US9872985B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/060,132 - Filed: 2016-03-03 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Granted: 2018-01-23 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-03 - Assignees: Georgia Tech Research Corporation - Applicants: Georgia Tech Research Corporation - Inventors: Robert Butera; Yogi Anil Patel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9872985B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/36053: {adapted for vagal stimulation (A61N1/36114 takes precedence)} - A61N 1/36139: {with automatic adjustment} - A61N 1/36157: {Current (A61N1/3616 takes precedence)} - A61N 1/36171: {Frequency} - A61N 1/0551: {Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes} - A61N 1/36085: {Eating disorders or obesity} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) ## Abstract An example method for causing a perturbation of blood glucose level in a subject is described herein. The method can include selectively inhibiting neural activity of at least one of a hepatic branch of the subject's vagus nerve or the subject's greater splanchnic nerve using electrical stimulation having a frequency greater than about 5 kHz. The selective inhibition of neural activity causes the subject's blood glucose level to increase or decrease as compared to a baseline level. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for causing a perturbation of blood glucose level in a subject, comprising: selectively inhibiting neural activity of at least one of a hepatic branch of the subject's vagus nerve or the subject's greater splanchnic nerve using electrical stimulation having a frequency about 50 kHz or greater, wherein the selective inhibition of neural activity causes the subject's blood glucose level to increase or decrease as compared to a baseline level. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising selectively exciting neural activity of at least one of the hepatic branch of the subject's vagus nerve or the subject's greater splanchnic nerve using electrical stimulation, wherein the selective excitation and inhibition of neural activity causes the subject's blood glucose level to increase or decrease as compared to the baseline level. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein neural activity of the hepatic branch of the subject's vagus nerve is selectively excited using electrical stimulation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein neural activity of the subject's greater splanchnic nerve is selectively inhibited using electrical stimulation having a frequency about 50 kHz or greater. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulation delivers a current with an amplitude from about 100 μA to about 10 mA. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein neural activity of at least one of the hepatic branch of the subject's vagus nerve or the subject's greater splanchnic nerve is selectively excited using electrical stimulation having a frequency from about 1 Hz to about 200 Hz. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the electrical stimulation delivers a current with an amplitude from about 50 μA to about 50 mA. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: administering a substance to the subject; measuring the subject's blood glucose level at each of a plurality of time intervals; adjusting one or more stimulation parameters based on the subject's measured blood glucose level; and altering a glucose load associated with the substance through the selective excitation or inhibition of neural activity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the substance is administered to the subject orally or through injection. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the selective excitation or inhibition of neural activity further causes a change in level of a metabolite. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a first electrode at a portion of the hepatic branch of the subject's vagus nerve and a second electrode at a portion of the subject's greater splanchnic nerve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first electrode is provided between the subject's liver and the subject's vagal trunk. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the second electrode is provided between the subject's suprarenal ganglia and celiac ganglia. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode is a monopolar, bipolar, or tripolar electrode. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the subject's blood glucose level. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising controlling the selective excitation or inhibition of neural activity based on the subject's blood glucose level. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the selective excitation or inhibition of neural activity based on user input. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the selective excitation or inhibition of neural activity based on a predetermined time schedule. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein neural activity of at least one of the hepatic branch of the subject's vagus nerve or the subject's greater splanchnic nerve is selectively inhibited using electrical stimulation having a frequency from 50 kHz to 100 kHz. ### Claim 20 A device for causing a perturbation of blood glucose level in a subject, comprising: a first electrode configured to attach to a portion of a hepatic branch of the subject's vagus nerve; a second electrode configured to attach to a portion of the subject's greater splanchnic nerve; a stimulus generator operably coupled with the first electrode and the second electrode, the stimulus generator being configured to provide stimulus signals to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode; and a control unit operably coupled with the stimulus generator, the control unit comprising a processor and memory operably coupled to the processor, wherein the control unit is configured to control the stimulus generator to: provide a first stimulus signal configured to selectively excite neural activity of at least one of the hepatic branch of the subject's vagus nerve or the subject's greater splanchnic nerve; and provide a second stimulus signal having a frequency about 50 kHz or greater and configured to selectively inhibit neural activity of at least one of the hepatic branch of the subject's vagus nerve or the subject's greater splanchnic nerve, wherein the selective excitation and inhibition of neural activity causes the subject's blood glucose level to increase or decrease as compared to a baseline level.