IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0080789
(2008-04-04)
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등록번호 |
US-8170660
(2012-05-01)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Dacey, Jr., Ralph G.
- Della Rocca, Gregory J.
- Derdeyn, Colin P.
- Dowling, Joshua L.
- Goodall, Eleanor V.
- Hyde, Roderick A.
- Ishikawa, Muriel Y.
- Kare, Jordin T.
- Leuthardt, Eric C.
- Myhrvold, Nathan P.
- Smith, Michael A.
- Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
- Wood, Victoria Y. H.
- Zipfel, Gregory J.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- The Invention Science Fund I, LLC
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
18 인용 특허 :
127 |
초록
▼
Methods and related systems for modulating neural activity by blocking conduction in peripheral neural structures with thermal stimuli are disclosed. Methods and systems for reversing effects of thermal blocking stimuli and/or for producing substantially permanent conduction block are also disclosed
Methods and related systems for modulating neural activity by blocking conduction in peripheral neural structures with thermal stimuli are disclosed. Methods and systems for reversing effects of thermal blocking stimuli and/or for producing substantially permanent conduction block are also disclosed.
대표청구항
▼
1. A neural modulation system comprising: a signal input structure configured to receive a signal indicative of an activity state of at least a portion of a body of a subject innervated by a peripheral neural structure;a signal processing portion configured to:distinguish a low activity state of the
1. A neural modulation system comprising: a signal input structure configured to receive a signal indicative of an activity state of at least a portion of a body of a subject innervated by a peripheral neural structure;a signal processing portion configured to:distinguish a low activity state of the at least a portion of the body of the subject innervated by the peripheral neural structure from a higher activity state of the at least a portion of the body of the subject innervated by the peripheral neural structure from the signal received at the signal input structure; andgenerate a blocking stimulus control signal for driving production of a thermal blocking stimulus configured to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject during at least a portion of the low activity state; anda blocking stimulus source configured to produce a thermal blocking stimulus responsive to the blocking stimulus control signal. 2. The neural modulation system of claim 1, including a sensor operatively connected to the signal input structure and configured to generate the signal indicative of the activity state of the at least a portion of the body of the subject innervated by the peripheral neural structure responsive to an activity of the at least a portion of the body of the subject. 3. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the blocking stimulus source is configured to produce substantially complete blockage of conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject responsive to the blocking stimulus control signal. 4. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the blocking stimulus source is configured to produce blockage of a subset of nerve fibers in the peripheral neural structure of the subject responsive to the blocking stimulus control signal. 5. The neural modulation system of claim 4, wherein the subset of nerve fibers in the peripheral neural structure of the subject includes at least one of nerve fibers within a selected diameter range, nerve fibers within a selected spatial distribution within the peripheral neural structure, or nerve fibers including a selected molecular feature. 6. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the blocking stimulus source includes a cooling stimulus source sufficient to produce cooling of at least a portion of the peripheral neural structure and a heating stimulus source capable of producing a pulsed transient heating stimulus. 7. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the blocking stimulus source includes a cooling stimulus source sufficient to produce cooling of at least a portion of the peripheral neural structure. 8. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the blocking stimulus source includes a heating stimulus source sufficient to produce pulsed transient local heating of at least a portion of the peripheral neural structure. 9. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to: determine the onset of the low activity state; andgenerate the blocking stimulus control signal for driving production of a thermal blocking stimulus configured to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject at least intermittently responsive to detecting the onset of a low activity state in the subject. 10. The neural modulation system of claim 9, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to: initiate a release period during which no blocking stimulus control signal is generated after an interval determined relative to the onset of generation of the blocking stimulus control signal. 11. The neural modulation system of claim 9, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to generate the blocking stimulus control signal for driving production of a thermal blocking stimulus configured to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject at a time selected from substantially immediately upon detecting the onset of the low activity state in the subject and at a delay interval after detecting the onset of the low activity state in the subject. 12. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to: predict the onset of the low activity state; andgenerate the blocking stimulus control signal for driving production of a magnetic field blocking stimulus configured to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject at least intermittently responsive to the predicted the onset of the low activity state in the subject. 13. The neural modulation system of claim 12, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to generate the blocking stimulus control signal for driving production of a magnetic field blocking stimulus configured to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject at least intermittently at a time selected from prior to the predicted the onset of the low activity state in the subject, simultaneously with the predicted the onset of the low activity state in the subject, and subsequent to the predicted the onset of the low activity state in the subject. 14. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to: determine the onset of the higher activity state in the subject; andinitiate a release period during which no blocking stimulus control signal is generated responsive to detecting the higher activity state in the subject. 15. The neural modulation system of claim 14, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to: initiate the release period at a time selected from substantially immediately upon detection of the onset of the higher activity state in the subject and at a delay interval after detection of the onset of the higher activity state in the subject. 16. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to: predict the onset of the higher activity state in the subject; andinitiate a release period during which no blocking stimulus control signal is generated responsive to the predicted onset of the higher activity state in the subject. 17. The neural modulation system of claim 16, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to: initiate the release period at a time selected from at an interval prior to the predicted onset of the higher activity state in the subject, at an interval simultaneous with the predicted onset of the higher activity state in the subject, at a delay interval after the predicted onset of the higher activity state in the subject. 18. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to repetitively generate the blocking stimulus control signal for driving production of a thermal blocking stimulus configured to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject during at least a portion of the low activity state and the release stimulus control signal for controlling discontinuation of production of the thermal blocking stimulus when the subject is in the higher activity state. 19. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to generate the blocking stimulus control signal for driving production of the thermal blocking stimulus configured to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject during the at least a portion of the low activity state and the release stimulus control signal for controlling discontinuation of production of the thermal blocking stimulus when the subject is in the higher activity state cyclically, wherein each cycle includes a blocking period during which a thermal blocking stimulus sufficient to produce reversible conduction block in the peripheral neural structure of the subject is produced while the subject is in the low activity state and a release period during which no thermal blocking stimulus is delivered. 20. The neural modulation system of claim 19, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to generate the blocking stimulus control signal for driving production of the thermal blocking stimulus configured to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject during the at least a portion of the low activity state and the release stimulus control signal for controlling discontinuation of production of the thermal blocking stimulus when the subject is in the higher activity state cyclically at a rate of one cycle per day. 21. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to generate the blocking stimulus control signal for driving production of the blocking stimulus configured to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject during the at least a portion of the low activity state and generate the release stimulus control signal for controlling discontinuation of production of the blocking stimulus when the subject is in the higher activity state in alternation according to a pre-set schedule. 22. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the blocking stimulus source includes: a primary blocking stimulus source configured to produce a primary thermal blocking stimulus component; anda secondary blocking stimulus source configured to produce a secondary thermal blocking stimulus component;wherein the primary thermal blocking stimulus component and the secondary thermal blocking stimulus component act together to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure, and wherein the signal processing portion is configured to generate a blocking stimulus control signal including a primary blocking stimulus control signal for driving production of the primary thermal blocking stimulus component and a secondary blocking stimulus control signal for driving production of the secondary thermal blocking stimulus component. 23. The neural modulation system of claim 22, wherein the primary blocking stimulus source includes a static cooling stimulus source, and wherein the secondary blocking stimulus source includes a pulsed transient heating stimulus source. 24. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the blocking stimulus source is configured to produce a spatially varying thermal blocking stimulus. 25. The neural modulation system of claim 24, wherein the blocking stimulus source includes a plurality of spatially distributed thermal stimulus sources. 26. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the blocking stimulus source is configured to produce a time-varying thermal blocking stimulus. 27. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the blocking stimulus source is configured to be worn on the body of the subject. 28. The neural modulation system of claim 27, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to be located at a location remote from the body of the subject. 29. The neural modulation system of claim 27, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to be worn on the body of the subject. 30. The neural modulation system of claim 29, wherein the signal processing portion is packaged with the blocking stimulus source in a package configured to be worn on the body of the subject. 31. The neural modulation system of claim 27, wherein the blocking stimulus source is located in or on one of a wrap adapted to be positioned around at least a portion of the body of the subject, a bracelet configured to be worn on a limb of the subject, an anklet configured to be worn on a limb of the subject, a cuff configured to be worn on a limb of the subject, a collar configured to be worn on a neck of the subject, or a necklace configured to be worn on a neck of the subject. 32. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the blocking stimulus source is configured to be positioned beneath at least a portion of the body of the subject. 33. The neural modulation system of claim 32, wherein the blocking stimulus source is configured to be located in or on at least one of a chair, a bed, a pad or a cushion. 34. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the blocking stimulus source is configured to be implanted within the body of the subject. 35. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to: generate a reversing stimulus control signal for driving production of a reversing stimulus to counter the thermal blocking stimulus used to produce the reversible conduction block in the peripheral neural structure of the subject;andwherein the neural modulation system further comprises a reversing stimulus source configured to produce a reversing stimulus responsive to the reversing stimulus control signal. 36. The neural modulation system of claim 35, wherein the reversing stimulus source includes at least a portion of the blocking stimulus source. 37. The neural modulation system of claim 35, wherein the reversing stimulus source includes at least one of a heat source, a cooling source, an electric field source, a magnetic field source, an electromagnetic transducer, an optical photon source, an acoustic energy source or a chemical agent source. 38. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to: determine that producing the reversible conduction block in the peripheral neural structure of the subject while the subject is in a low activity state results in a desired effect in the subject; andgenerate a non-reversible blocking source control signal for driving a non-reversible blocking source to perform an action adapted for producing a non-reversible conduction block in the peripheral neural structure of the subject; and wherein the neural modulation system further comprises:a non-reversible blocking source configured to perform an action adapted for producing a non-reversible conduction block in the peripheral neural structure of the subject responsive to the non-reversible blocking source control signal. 39. The neural modulation system of claim 38, wherein the non-reversible blocking source includes at least one of a heat source, a cooling source, an electrical current source, an acoustic energy source, a photon source, a chemical agent source, or a surgical transection mechanism. 40. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the blocking stimulus source includes at least one of a magnetic field source, an electromagnetic transducer, an optical spectrum photon source, an infrared spectrum photon source, an acoustic energy source, or an ultrasonic acoustic energy source. 41. The neural modulation system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing portion is configured to repetitively generate the blocking stimulus control signal for driving production of a thermal blocking stimulus configured to reversibly block conduction in the peripheral neural structure of the subject during at least a portion of the low activity state and the release stimulus control signal for controlling discontinuation of production of the thermal blocking stimulus when the subject is in the second activity state over a period of time sufficient to produce modulation of at least one of an immune response or an inflammatory response in a region innervated by the peripheral neural structure.
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