Brain stimulation system including diagnostic tool

Abstract

A system for treating a patient comprises a stimulator for stimulating brain tissue, a controller for setting stimulation parameters and a diagnostic tool for measuring patient parameters and producing diagnostic data. The stimulation parameters comprise test stimulation parameters and treatment stimulation parameters. The stimulator delivers test stimulation energy to the brain tissue based on at least one test stimulation parameter and delivers treatment stimulation energy to the brain tissue based on at least one treatment stimulation parameter. One or more treatment stimulator parameters are determined based on the diagnostic data produced by the diagnostic tool The system is constructed and arranged to treat a neurological disease or a neurological disorder. Methods of treating a neurological disease or neurological disorder are also provided.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for treating a neurological disease or disorder in a patient comprising:
 providing a stimulator, a controller, and diagnostic tool;   implanting the stimulator in a target region of the patient's brain;   delivering test stimulation energy to the brain tissue through the stimulator to the target region of the patient's brain based on the at least one test stimulation parameter;   measuring at least one patient parameter with the diagnostic tool in response to the test stimulation energy and producing diagnostic data representing said at least one measured patient parameter;   analyzing the diagnostic data and comparing the diagnostic data to a threshold characteristic of an adverse event or a desired event with the controller; and   delivering treatment stimulation energy to the patient's brain tissue based on the at least one treatment stimulation parameter.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller sets the at least one treatment stimulation parameter based on a safety margin based on the comparison of the diagnostic data to the threshold characteristic. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the neurological disease or neurological disorder comprises Alzheimer's Disease. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the target region comprises a fornix. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one treatment stimulation parameter is selected to prevent or reduce the adverse event. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one treatment stimulation parameter is selected to improve treatment of the neurological disease or disorder. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the stimulation parameter comprises a signal voltage ranging between 0.1 Volts and 10.0 Volts. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller sets at least one stimulation parameter based on a threshold at which the adverse event is detected by the diagnostic tool. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the adverse event comprises an event selected from the group consisting of: undesirable heart rate; undesirable respiration rate; undesirable sweating; undesirable hallucinations; undesirable tingling; flushing; an undesirable psychiatric effect; an undesirable cognitive effect; unpleasant generalized warming; undesirable perceptions described as deja vu; seizure; synchronized neuronal firing pattern; undesired neural response time; undesired brain state; undesired theta phase; undesired p300 amplitude; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one stimulation parameter is set using a safety margin. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the safety margin comprises at least a 10% safety margin. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller sets the at least one stimulation parameter based on a threshold at which a desired event was detected by the diagnostic tool. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the desired event comprises an event selected from the group consisting of: recall of a desired memory; achievement of desired memory learning; desired level of neuronal activity; acceptable physiologic condition such as an acceptable heart rate or acceptable level of neuronal activity; experiential phenomena; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the diagnostic tool detects the adverse event. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the adverse event comprises an event selected from the group consisting of: undesirable heart rate; undesirable respiration rate; undesirable sweating; undesirable hallucinations; undesirable tingling; flushing; undesirable psychiatric effect; undesirable cognitive effect; unpleasant generalized warming; undesirable perceptions described as deja vu; seizure; synchronized neuronal firing pattern; undesired neural response time; undesired brain state; undesired theta phase; undesired p300 amplitude; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the diagnostic tool measuring at least one patient parameter comprises measuring at least one of heart rate; EKG; blood oxygen; combined heart rate and blood oxygen; blood pressure; neuronal activity; EEG; evoked response potential (ERP); neurochemical levels; and respiration.