79 results about "Chemical stimuli" patented technology

The present invention relates to a method of affecting a hypothalamic-related condition by electrically and / or chemically stimulating the hypothalamus. Also provided are methods of stimulating a hypothalamic-related target site by responding to a sensor signal relating to a physiological activity of the body associated with the hypothalamic-related condition desired to be affected. The present invention also describes a method of directly or indirectly modulating hormones synthesized or released by the hypothalamus to affect hypothalamic-related conditions involving hormonal function, dysfunction or imbalance.

A combined electrical and chemical stimulation lead is especially adapted for providing treatment to the spine and nervous system. The stimulation lead includes electrodes that may be selectively positioned along various portions of the stimulation lead in order to precisely direct electrical energy to ablate or electrically stimulate the target tissue. Embodiments of the stimulation lead include single or multiple lead elements. The multiple lead element embodiments can be selectively deployed to cover a targeted area. The lead may also includes central infusion passageway(s) or lumen(s) that communicates with various infusion ports spaced at selected locations along the lead to thereby direct the infusion of nutrients / chemicals to the target tissue. Some embodiments utilize a disposable sheath in combination with a reusable stimulation lead.

The present invention relates to a neural stimulation delivery device to deliver electrical and / or chemical stimulation to target sites in the central and peripheral nervous system. The device generally includes a tubular body defining a plurality of ports along the longitudinal axis thereof, a plurality of delivery structures insertable in the body, and a control mechanism in communication with the plurality of delivery structures to independently move each of the plurality of delivery structures through a respective one of the plurality of ports with respect to each other of the plurality of delivery structures. The ability of each delivery structure to be independently moveable through a respective port allows each delivery structure to be selectively advanced or retracted independent of the movement of another delivery structure.

The present invention provides a device and assembly for electrically and / or chemically stimulating individual ganglion and a plurality of ganglia of the nervous system, and particularly to ganglia of the sympathetic nerve chain. A device is provided that generally wraps around an individual ganglion and conforms to the shape of the ganglion without exerting excessive pressure on the ganglion to damage the ganglion. An assembly is also provided that includes an axially elongated shaft that can be positioned adjacent to the sympathetic nerve chain and that can receive a plurality of ganglion stimulators that can slidably engage with the outer surface of the shaft. As additional ganglia are desired to be stimulated, each of the plurality of ganglion stimulators can be added to the shaft to engage the outer surface of the shaft and can be positioned adjacent to the ganglia desired to be stimulated.

The present invention involves a method and a system for using electrical stimulation and / or chemical stimulation to treat depression. More particularly, the method comprises surgically implanting an electrical stimulation lead and / or catheter that is in communication with a predetermined site which is coupled to a signal generator and / or infusion pump that release either an electrical signal and / or a pharmaceutical resulting in stimulation of the predetermined site thereby treating the mood and / or anxiety.

The present invention involves a method and a system for using electrical stimulation and / or chemical stimulation to treat a cognitive impairment and / or disorder. More particularly, the method comprises surgically implanting an electrode and / or catheter that is in communication with a predetermined site which is coupled to a pulse generating source and / or infusion pump that release either an electrical signal and / or a pharmaceutical resulting in stimulation of the predetermined site thereby treating the cognitive disorder and / or enhancing the cognitive ability.

According to one embodiment, a neurological stimulation system is adapted for implantation into a person's body for electrical, chemical, or combined electrical and chemical stimulation of target nerve tissue in the person's brain stem. For electrical stimulation, the system includes an electrical stimulation lead adapted for implantation on, in, or near the brain stem, and including electrodes adapted to be positioned on, in, or near target nerve tissue in the brain stem, for delivering electrical stimulation energy to the target nerve tissue. For chemical stimulation, the system includes an infusion catheter adapted for implantation on, in, or near the brain stem, and including openings adapted to be positioned on, in, or near target nerve tissue in the brain stem, for delivering a chemical to the target nerve tissue. The system also includes a stimulation source adapted for implantation in the person's body and operable to generate pulses of electrical stimulation energy or pulses of the chemical, for delivery to the target nerve tissue in the brain stem.

The present invention involves a method and a system for using electrical stimulation and / or chemical stimulation to treat depression. More particularly, the method comprises surgically implanting an electrical stimulation lead and / or catheter that is in communication with a predetermined site which is coupled to a signal generator and / or infusion pump that release either an electrical signal and / or a pharmaceutical resulting in stimulation of the predetermined site thereby treating the mood and / or anxiety.

A method and device for treating epilepsy are disclosed which provide for electrical, chemical or magnetic stimulation of certain areas of the brain to modulate neuronal activity of areas associated with symptoms of epilepsy. Deep brain stimulation is combined with vagus nerve stimulation to enhance symptomatic relief of the disorder. Some embodiments also employ a sensing capability to optimize the therapeutic treatment regimen.

The present invention involves a method and a system for using electrical stimulation and / or chemical stimulation to treat an affective disorder, such as depression. More particularly, the method comprises surgically implanting an electrical stimulation lead and / or catheter that is in communication with a predetermined site which is coupled to a signal generator and / or infusion pump that release either an electrical signal and / or a pharmaceutical resulting in stimulation of the predetermined site thereby treating the mood and / or anxiety.

The present invention provides a distributed sensing system in a networked environment for identifying an analyte, including a first sensor array connected to the network comprising sensors capable of producing a first response in the presence of a chemical stimulus; a second sensor array connected to the network comprising sensors capable of producing a second response in the presence of a physical stimulus; and a computer comprising a resident algorithm. The algorithm indicates or selects the most relevant sensor in the network to identify the analyte. The sensors can be separated over large spatial areas, wherein the sensor arrays are networked. Suitable networks include a computer local area network, an intranet or the Internet.

The present invention relates to methods of affecting chronic pain by electrically and / or chemically stimulating target sites of the pain circuitry associated with chronic pain. Such target sites include cerebral target sites, including limbic structures, associated with the emotional and suffering components of chronic pain, as well as deep brain target sites associated with the affective and sensory components of chronic pain. Also provided is a method of affecting chronic pain by stimulating a target site of the pain circuitry associated with chronic pain to stimulate the synthesis or release of endogenous opioids.

A chemical sensing system has: an interrogation unit operable to wirelessly transmit an interrogation signal and wirelessly receive a response; an environmentally sealed container for holding a chemical analyte; a sensor array unit in fluid communication with the analyte disposed within the container, where the sensor array unit is operable to generate a response in the presence of a chemical stimulus; and a passive responder unit connected with the sensor array unit, the responder unit being powered from the interrogation signal, where the responder unit is operable to wirelessly receive the interrogation signal and wirelessly transmit the response to the interrogation signal to the interrogation unit.

A combined electrical and chemical stimulation lead is especially adapted for providing treatment to the spine and nervous system. The stimulation lead includes electrodes that may be selectively positioned along various portions of the stimulation lead in order to precisely direct electrical energy to ablate or electrically stimulate the target tissue. The invention also includes a method of activating electrodes in the electrical stimulation lead whereby an ablative lesion can be formed in a desired shape and size. The invention further includes a method of managing pain in a sacrum of a patient, and a method of assembling an electrical stimulation device.

A chemical sensing system has: an interrogation unit operable to wirelessly transmit an interrogation signal and wirelessly receive a response; an environmentally sealed container for holding a chemical analyte; a sensor array unit in fluid communication with the analyte disposed within the container, where the sensor array unit is operable to generate a response in the presence of a chemical stimulus; and a passive responder unit connected with the sensor array unit, the responder unit being powered from the interrogation signal, where the responder unit is operable to wirelessly receive the interrogation signal and wirelessly transmit the response to the interrogation signal to the interrogation unit.

The present invention relates to a neural stimulation delivery device to deliver electrical and / or chemical stimulation to target sites in the central and peripheral nervous system. The device generally includes a tubular body defining a plurality of ports along the longitudinal axis thereof, a plurality of delivery structures insertable in the body, and a control mechanism in communication with the plurality of delivery structures to independently move each of the plurality of delivery structures through a respective one of the plurality of ports with respect to each other of the plurality of delivery structures. The ability of each delivery structure to be independently moveable through a respective port allows each delivery structure to be selectively advanced or retracted independent of the movement of another delivery structure.

The present invention involves a method and a system for using electrical stimulation and / or chemical stimulation to treat depression. More particularly, the method comprises surgically implanting an electrical stimulation lead and / or catheter that is in communication with a predetermined site which is coupled to a signal generator and / or infusion pump that release either an electrical signal and / or a pharmaceutical resulting in stimulation of the predetermined site thereby treating the mood and / or anxiety disorder.

A combined electrical and chemical stimulation lead is especially adapted for providing treatment to intervertebral discs. The combination lead may be placed proximate to intervertebral disc cellular matrix and nucleus pulposus tissue to promote tissue regeneration and repair, as well as nociceptor and neural tissue modulation. The stimulation lead includes electrodes that may be selectively positioned along various portions of the stimulation lead in order to precisely direct electrical energy to stimulate the target tissue. The lead also includes a central infusion passageway or lumen that communicates with various infusion ports spaced at selected locations along the lead to thereby direct the infusion of nutrients / chemicals to the target tissue. One embodiment utilizes a dissolvable matrix for infusion as opposed to remote delivery through an infusion pump.

Residence structures, systems, and related methods are generally provided. Certain embodiments comprise administering (e.g., orally) a residence structure to a subject (e.g., a patient) such that the residence structure is retained at a location internal to the subject for a particular amount of time (e.g., at least about 24 hours) before being released. The residence structure may be, in some cases, a gastric residence structure. In some embodiments, the structures and systems described herein comprise one or more materials configured for high levels of active substances (e.g., a therapeutic agent) loading, high active substance and / or structure stability in acidic environments, mechanical flexibility and strength in an internal orifice (e.g., gastric cavity), easy passage through the GI tract until delivery to at a desired internal orifice (e.g., gastric cavity), and / or rapid dissolution / degradation in a physiological environment (e.g., intestinal environment) and / or in response to a chemical stimulant (e.g., ingestion of a solution that induces rapid dissolution / degradation). In certain embodiments, the structure has a modular design, combining a material configured for controlled release of therapeutic, diagnostic, and / or enhancement agents with a structural material necessary for gastric residence but configured for controlled and / or tunable degradation / dissolution to determine the time at which retention shape integrity is lost and the structure passes out of the gastric cavity. For example, in certain embodiments, the residence structure comprises a first elastic component, a second component configured to release an active substance (e.g., a therapeutic agent), and, optionally, a linker. In some such embodiments, the linker may be configured to degrade such that the residence structure breaks apart and is released from the location internally of the subject after a predetermined amount of time.

A method and apparatus for treatment of an eating disorder includes electrically, mechanically and / or pharmaceutically / chemically stimulating a of the vagus nerve of the lower esophagus, cardia, esophageal / cardia junction, cardia / fundus junction or upper stomach so as to induce afferent action potentials on the vagus nerve. The device may be noninvasively adjusted after implantation to provide increased or decreased restriction on the patient's gastrointestinal tract. Each stimulus may be administered as a series of programmed pulses of defined amplitude, duration and period, to evoke a responsive signal to the brain by the target nerve, effective for producing a temporary feeling of satiety in the person. An implantable stimulus generator may be operatively coupled to a nerve electrode, pressure device or chemical outlet to apply a defined signal to a selected nerve branch. The implantable stimulus generator is programmable to allow clinician programming of defined signal parameters effective to treat the eating disorder of the patient. Methods are also provided to identify electrodes nearest to a branch of the vagus nerve to apply an electrical stimulation signal with improved efficiency.

The present invention is related to an array device for monitoring the effect of a physical or chemical stimulus on multiple small samples, said array device comprising a supporting substrate at least two array elements that are separated from each other by a isolation zone, said array elements comprising:.A receiving zone arranged to provide a contact between said one of said samples and said physical or chemical stimulus, said receiving zone having a cross-section smaller than 10 mm..A heat detection means arranged to perform a measurement of heat between said receiving zone and a reference, and said isolation zone being formed by at least part of said supporting substrate characterised in that said supporting substrate has sufficient strength to support said array device and said isolation zone is arranged to thermally isolate said array elements.

A method and device for treating epilepsy are disclosed which provide for electrical, chemical or magnetic stimulation of certain areas of the brain to modulate neuronal activity of areas associated with symptoms of epilepsy. Deep brain stimulation is combined with vagus nerve stimulation to enhance symptomatic relief of the disorder. Some embodiments also employ a sensing capability to optimize the therapeutic treatment regimen.

A system and method for inducing physiological effects of ischemic conditioning and physiological effects of shear stress in a subject's body that mimic the effect of exercise on the subject. The disclosure includes a first device configured to cause ischemia, a second device configured to mechanically generate arterial shear stress, and a third device configured to monitor one or more of markers of ischemia or hemodynamic parameters and further including a microcontroller and actuators to cause the ischemia for a preset duration and then stop the ischemia for a preset duration, and to repeat the ischemia and reflow periods according to a preset program, simultaneously cause the second device to mechanically generate arterial shear stress according to a preset program of mechanical pulse amplitude, duration, and frequency; and to concurrently monitor hemodynamic parameters or markers of ischemia. The method and device further includes application of electrical muscle stimulation, body vibration and chemical stimuli.

Methods and compositions for the reliable detection of chemical stimuli using a “nose-on-a-chip” are presented. The invention uses cells sensitive to chemical stimuli and detects and processes the signals given by the cells upon contact with chemical stimuli.

The present invention provides an electronic transducer (10) and a method for detecting and / or characterizing target materials or physico-chemical stimuli in an external medium (8) using the electronic transducer (10). The electronic transducer (10) comprises a sensing element (3) featuring a variable conductance when exposed to a stimulus from the external medium and a first and second electrode (5a, 5b) spaced apart on or in a sensing material surface of a substrate, the sensing element being provided in or on the substrate and being located between the first and the second electrodes (5a, 5b) forming a pair of sensing electrodes for sensing a change in conductance of the sensing element (3) in a direction substantially parallel to the sensing material surface, at least one of the sensing electrodes (5a, 5b) being electrically insulated from the sensing element (3) by a dielectric layer (4), so as to be capacitively coupled to the sensing element (3). An insulating layer or target specific layer (7) may optionally be provided covering the sensing element (3) and optionally the sensing electrodes and being adapted for contact with the external medium (8). Electrical measurements made between the pair of sensing electrodes (5a, 5b) are influenced by the impedance of the channel (3) which is affected by the presence of the medium (8) to be tested.

A combined electrical and chemical stimulation lead is especially adapted for providing treatment to intervertebral discs. The combination lead may be placed proximate to intervertebral disc cellular matrix and nucleus pulposus tissue to promote tissue regeneration and repair, as well as nociceptor and neural tissue modulation. The stimulation lead includes electrodes that may be selectively positioned along various portions of the stimulation lead in order to precisely direct electrical energy to stimulate the target tissue. The lead also includes a central infusion passageway or lumen that communicates with various infusion ports spaced at selected locations along the lead to thereby direct the infusion of nutrients / chemicals to the target tissue. One embodiment utilizes a dissolvable matrix for infusion as opposed to remote delivery through an infusion pump.