Spinal stimulator systems for restoration of function

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9409023-B2
Application number	US-201214007262-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2012
Priority date	Mar 24, 2011
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

Described are devices including stimulation assemblies connectable to a plurality of electrodes. The plurality of electrodes can be configured to connect to a spinal cord at a location below a lesion of the spinal cord. The stimulation assembly can be configured to deliver stimulation to selected ones of the plurality of electrodes when the stimulation assembly is connected to the plurality of electrodes when located below the lesion of the spinal cord. Methods of using the devices are also described.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for use with a plurality of electrodes, and one or more sensors, the device comprising:
a stimulation assembly connectable to the plurality of electrodes, wherein the plurality of electrodes are configured to connect to a spinal cord at a location below a lesion of the spinal cord; the stimulation assembly being configured to deliver stimulation to selected ones of the plurality of electrodes when the stimulation assembly is connected to the plurality of electrodes;
a sensor interface connectable to the one or more sensors, the sensor interface being configured to receive signals from the one or more sensors when the sensor interface is connected to the one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are selected from an electromyography sensor, an evoked potential sensor, a joint angle sensor, a flex sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope sensor, a flow sensor, a pressure sensor, a load sensor, a temperature sensor, or a combination thereof;
at least one processor connected to both the stimulation assembly and the sensor interface, the at least one processor being configured to direct the stimulation assembly to deliver at least one complex stimulation pattern to the selected ones of the plurality of electrodes, and to receive the signals from the sensor interface, the at least one processor being further configured to modify the at least one complex stimulation pattern by performing a machine learning method implementing a Gaussian Process Optimization operable to determine the stimulation parameters delivered by the stimulation assembly based on the signals received from the sensor interface.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one complex stimulation pattern comprises a first stimulation pattern followed by a second stimulation pattern,
wherein the second stimulation pattern is delivered to a second portion of the selected ones of the plurality of electrodes less than about one microsecond after the first stimulation pattern is delivered to a first portion of the selected ones of the plurality of electrodes, and
wherein the first stimulation pattern is delivered to a first portion of the selected ones of the plurality of electrodes, and the second stimulation pattern is delivered to a second portion of the selected ones of the plurality of electrodes, the first portion being different from the second portion.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform a machine learning method based on the signals received from the sensor interface to determine a set of stimulation parameters, and the at least one processor modifies the at least one complex stimulation pattern based at least in part on the set of stimulation parameters.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive and record electrical signals from the plurality of electrodes, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit the recorded electrical signals to a computing device and to receive information therefrom, the at least one processor being configured to modify the at least one complex stimulation pattern based at least in part on the information received from the computing device; or
wherein the at least one processor is configured to record the signals received from the sensor interface, transmit the recorded electrical signals to the computing device, and receive information from the computing device, the at least one processor being configured to modify the at least one complex stimulation pattern based at least in part on the information received from the computing device.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive electrical signals from the plurality of electrodes, and modify the at least one complex stimulation pattern based at least in part on the electrical signals received from the plurality of electrodes.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to aid a subject having a neurologically derived paralysis in a portion of the patient's body affected by the lesion to the spinal cord, wherein the spinal cord includes at least one selected spinal circuit that has a first stimulation threshold representing a minimum amount of stimulation required to activate the at least one selected spinal circuit, and a second stimulation threshold representing an amount of stimulation above which the at least one selected spinal circuit is fully activated,
wherein when the at least one complex stimulation pattern is applied to a portion of the spinal cord of the patient, the at least one complex stimulation pattern is below the second stimulation threshold such that the at least one selected spinal circuit is at least partially activatable by the addition of at least one of (a) neurological signals originating from the portion of the patient's body having the paralysis, and (b) supraspinal signals.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to aid a subject having a neurologically derived paralysis in a portion of the patient's body, wherein physical training provides induced neurological signals in the portion of the patient's body having the paralysis, the spinal cord including at least one selected spinal circuit that has a first stimulation threshold representing a minimum amount of stimulation required to activate the at least one selected spinal circuit, and a second stimulation threshold representing an amount of stimulation above which the at least one selected spinal circuit is fully activated, and adding the induced neurological signals has no additional effect on the at least one selected spinal circuit, the induced neurological signals being below the first stimulation threshold and insufficient to activate the at least one selected spinal circuit,
wherein when the at least one complex stimulation pattern is applied to a portion of the spinal cord of the patient, the at least one complex stimulation pattern is below the second stimulation threshold such that the at least one selected spinal circuit is at least partially activatable by the addition of at least one of (a) a portion of the induced neurological signals, and (b) supraspinal signals.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein when at least partially activated the at least one selected spinal circuit produces improved neurological function comprising at least one of voluntary movement of muscles involved in at least one of standing, stepping, reaching, grasping, voluntarily changing positions of one or both legs, voluntarily changing positions of one or both arms, voiding the subject's bladder, sexual function, voiding the subject's bowel, postural activity, locomotor activity, cardiovascular function, respiratory function, digestive function, autonomic function, motor function, vasomotor function, cognitive function, body temperature, and metabolic processes.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the induced neurological signals comprise at least one of postural proprioceptive signals, locomotor proprioceptive signals, and the supraspinal signals.

10. The device of claim 1 , further including at least one recording electrode, wherein the at least one processor is connected to the at least one recording electrode, and configured to receive and record electrical signals received from the at least one recording electrode.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the selected ones of the plurality of electrodes include more than four groups of electrodes; and the at least one complex stimulation pattern comprises different electrical stimulation for each of the groups of electrodes.

12. A system for use with a subject having a spinal cord, and one or more

Assignees

• Burdick Joel W
• Tai Yu-Chong
• Naber John F
• Keynton Robert S
• Edgerton Victor Reggie
• Roy Roland R
• Gerasimenko Yury
• Harkema Susan J
• Hodes Jonathan
• Angeli Claudia A
• Nandra Mandheerej S
• Desautels Thomas Anthony
• Upchurch Steven L
• Jackson Douglas J
• Terrafranca Nicholas A
• Chen Yangshen
• California Inst Of Techn
• Univ Louisville Res Found Inc
• Univ California

Inventors

• Burdick Joel W
• Tai Yu-Chong
• Naber John F
• Keynton Robert S
• Edgerton Victor Reggie
• Roy Roland R
• Gerasimenko Yury
• Harkema Susan J
• Hodes Jonathan
• Angeli Claudia A
• Nandra Mandheerej S
• Desautels Thomas Anthony
• Upchurch Steven L
• Jackson Douglas J
• Terrafranca Nicholas A
• Chen Yangshen

Classifications

• A61N1/36139

  with automatic adjustment · CPC title

• A61B5/4076

  Diagnosing or monitoring particular conditions of the nervous system · CPC title

• A61B5/1106

  to assess neuromuscular blockade, e.g. to estimate depth of anaesthesia · CPC title

• A61N1/36103 Primary

  Neuro-rehabilitation; Repair or reorganisation of neural tissue, e.g. after stroke · CPC title

• A61B5/0492

  Human Necessities · mapped topic