Methods for treating essential tremor

Abstract

Methods for treating essential tremor are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes directing a patient to perform a muscle action, for example, a postural or kinetic muscle action. The method can further include directing information to be collected, with the information corresponding to a level of neural activity in the patient's brain while the patient performs the muscle action. The essential tremor motion of the patient can then be at least reduced by applying an electrical stimulation at least proximate to a stimulation site, with the location of the stimulation site being based at least in part on the collected information. The information can include visual images, such as are generated by MRI, fMRI, or CT techniques, or the information can be non-visual. In particular embodiments, the location of the stimulation site can be determined by comparing two pieces of information, for example, neural activities before and after drug intake, or neural activities at the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

1 . A method for treating essential tremor, comprising: 
 directing a patient to perform a muscle action;    directing information to be collected, the information corresponding to a level of neural activity in the patient's brain while the patient performs the muscle action; and    at least reducing an essential tremor motion of the patient by applying an electrical stimulation at least proximate to a stimulation site, the location of the stimulation site being based at least in part on the information.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least reducing an essential tremor motion includes eliminating the essential tremor motion.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein directing information to be collected includes directing a computer-based routine to collect the information.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising directing the formation of an image of at least a portion of the patient's brain, with at least a portion of the image having features representative of the information.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein directing information to be collected includes directing the formation an image of at least a portion of the patient's brain, the image including a first region with a characteristic of the first region having a first value, the image further including a second region with the characteristic of the second region having a second value different than the first value.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein directing information to be collected includes directing information to be collected on blood oxygen levels in the brain.  
     
     
         7 . The method of claim,  1  further comprising locating the stimulation site relative to an anatomical feature of the patient.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising locating the stimulation site relative to a fiducial having a fixed location relative to the patient's skull.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising implanting at least one electrode at least proximate to the stimulation site, and wherein applying an electrical stimulation includes applying an electrical signal to the at least one electrode.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein directing information to be collected while the patient performs a muscle action includes directing first information to be collected while the patient performs the muscle action a first time, and wherein the method further comprises: 
 affecting the patient's motor nerves by introducing a drug into the patient's body;    directing second information to be collected while the patient performs the muscle action a second time and while the patient is under the influence of the drug; and    directing a comparison of the first information with the second information to identify the stimulation site of the brain.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least reducing the patient's essential tremor further includes administering drugs to the patient.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein applying an electrical stimulation includes applying a varying electrical stimulation signal having a frequency of from about 5 Hz to about 200 Hz.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein applying an electrical stimulation includes applying a varying electrical stimulation signal having an electrical potential of from about 0.25 volts to about 5.0 volts.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein directing the patient to perform a muscle action includes directing the patient to move the muscle.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein directing the patient to perform a muscle action includes directing the patient to maintain a muscle in a particular position.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising placing an electrode at least proximate to the stimulation site.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the information includes second information and applying an electrical stimulation at least proximate to a stimulation site includes applying an electrical stimulation to a stimulation site having a location based on a comparison of the second information with first information, the first information corresponding to a level of neural activity in the patient's brain while the patient does not perform the muscle action.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 directing the patient to undergo a plurality of muscle actions; and    selecting from the plurality of muscle actions a muscle action that produces a selected level of essential tremor motion, and wherein directing the patient to perform a muscle action includes directing the patient to perform the muscle action producing the selected level of essential tremor motion.    
     
     
         19 . A method for treating essential tremor, comprising: 
 identifying a muscle action subject to essential tremor;    monitoring a first image of the patient's brain function while the patient is not performing the muscle action;    monitoring a second image of the patient's brain function while the patient performs the muscle action;    comparing the first and second images to identify a stimulation site of the brain;    placing at least one electrode at least proximate to the stimulation site;    at least reducing the patient's essential tremor motion by applying an electrical stimulation at least proximate to the stimulation site.    
     
     
         20 - 50 . (canceled)