Responsive Therapy for Psychiatric Disorders

Abstract

A medical device is capable of delivering a form of stimulation (e.g., electrical stimulation) to a region of the cingulate cortex of the human brain to treat a neurological event, condition or disorder, especially an event, condition, or disorder that is psychiatric in nature, such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, schizophrenia, and autism and other developmental disorders. The device additionally or alternatively may be capable of detecting a biological marker or changes in a biological marker corresponding to the neurological event, condition or disorder. Methods of using the device are also disclosed.

1 . A method for modulating the cingulate cortex of a patient's brain comprising:
 implanting in the patient's body an electrode array comprising a plurality of electrodes so that the plurality of electrodes are either disposed within or against substantially the entire length of the cingulate cortex;   associating the electrode array with a stimulation source;   delivering stimulation from the stimulation source through at least one of the electrodes in the electrode array.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein delivering stimulation comprises delivering electrical stimulation. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein delivering stimulation comprises delivering at least one dose of a drug. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further including implanting the stimulation source in the patient's body. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising triggering the delivery of stimulation with a signal corresponding to a command initiated by the patient. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein delivering stimulation comprises causing a temperature change at or in the vicinity of the at least one of the electrodes. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 implanting at least one sensor in the patient's body;   detecting at least one biological marker with the at least one sensor.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the biological marker is a biological marker from the group consisting of electrical activity, concentration of inhibitory or excitatory neurochemicals, concentration of proteins or other gene products, temperature, and metabolic rate. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein detecting the at least one biological marker further comprises monitoring the at least one biological marker over a predetermined period of time. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein delivering stimulation further comprises delivering stimulation based on predefined changes in the detected and monitored at least one biological marker. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein monitoring the at least one biological marker over a predetermined period of time further includes continuously monitoring the at least one biological marker. 
   
   
       12 . A device for modulating the function of the cingulate cortex of a patient's brain comprising:
 an electrode array comprising a plurality of electrodes designed for and intended to be deployed so that the electrodes can be used to deliver stimulation to substantially any area of the cingulate cortex;   a stimulation source associated with the electrode array for delivering a form of stimulation through at least one of the electrodes in the electrode array;   a programmable selector circuit for selecting one or more of the electrodes in the electrode array through which stimulation can be delivered.   
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 13 , further including at least one sensor for detecting at least one biological marker from the patient. 
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 14 , further including a monitoring circuit for monitoring information sensed by the at least one sensor for a programmable period of time. 
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the stimulation source is a signal generator for generating electrical stimulation. 
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the biological marker is a biological marker from the group consisting of electrical activity, concentration of inhibitory or excitatory neurochemicals, concentration of proteins or other gene products, temperature, and metabolic rate.