Non-invasive treatment of autoimmune disorders

Abstract

Methods and devices are disclosed for the non-invasive treatment of autoimmune diseases or disorders through the delivery of energy to target nervous tissue, particularly the vagus nerve.. A device for treating an autoimmune disease or disorder comprises one or more electrodes having a contact surface configured for contacting an anterior portion of an outer skin surface of a neck of a patient and an energy source coupled to the electrodes. The energy source is configured to generate one or more electrical impulses and to transmit the electrical impulses to the electrodes and transcutaneously through the anterior portion of the outer skin surface of the neck of the patient at or near a vagus nerve. The electrical impulses are sufficient to modulate the vagus nerve and to inhibit inflammation and treat the disorder.

1 . A device for treating an autoimmune disease or disorder, the device comprising:
 one or more electrodes having a contact surface configured for contacting an anterior portion of an outer skin surface of a neck of a patient;   an energy source coupled to the electrodes, wherein the energy source is configured to generate one or more electrical impulses and to transmit the electrical impulses to the electrodes and transcutaneously through the anterior portion of the outer skin surface of the neck of the patient at or near a vagus nerve, wherein the one or more electrical impulses is sufficient to modulate the vagus nerve and to inhibit inflammation.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a housing, wherein the power source is housed within the housing and the electrodes are coupled to the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more electrodes are housed within the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a signal generator coupled to the energy source, wherein the signal generator generates the one or more electrical impulses, wherein the one or more electrical impulses comprises bursts of 2 to 20 pulses within each burst, wherein each burst has a frequency of about 15 Hz to about 50 Hz. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein each burst of pulses comprises a burst period and a constant period, wherein the pulses alternate between a positive voltage and a negative voltage within each of the burst periods. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein each pulse has a duration of about 20 to about 1000 microseconds. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein each constant period has zero pulses. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the one or more electrical impulses is sufficient to inhibit release of a pro-inflammatory cytokine. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the pro-inflammatory cytokine is tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha or tumor growth factor (TGF)-beta. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrical impulses is sufficient to enhance an anti-inflammatory competence of a cytokine in the patient. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the autoimmune disease is selected from a group comprising multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, transverse myelitis, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, central pontine myelinosis, leukodystrophy, and Charcot Marie Tooth disease. 
     
     
         12 . A method for treating an autoimmune disease or disorder, the method comprising:
 positioning one or more electrodes in contact with an anterior portion of an outer skin surface of a neck of a patient;   generating one or more electrical impulses; and   transmitting the one or more electrical impulses to the one or more electrodes and transcutaneously through the anterior portion of the outer skin surface of the patient at or near a vagus nerve within the patient, wherein the one or more electrical impulses is sufficient to modulate the vagus nerve and to inhibit inflammation.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more electrical impulses are generated within a housing and transmitted to the one or more electrodes within the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more electrical impulses is generated by further a signal generator, wherein the one or more electrical impulses comprises bursts of 2 to 20 pulses within each burst, wherein each burst has a frequency of about 15 Hz to about 50 Hz. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each burst of pulses comprises a burst period and a constant period, wherein the pulses alternate between a positive voltage and a negative voltage within each of burst period. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each pulse has a duration of about 20 to about 1000 microseconds. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising generating zero pulses during the constant periods. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more electrical impulses is sufficient to inhibit release of a pro-inflammatory cytokine. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the pro-inflammatory cytokine is tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha or tumor growth factor (TGF)-beta. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more electrical impulses is sufficient to enhance an anti-inflammatory competence of a cytokine in the patient. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the autoimmune disease is selected from a group comprising multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, transverse myelitis, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, central pontine myelinosis, leukodystrophy, and Charcot Marie Tooth disease.