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System and method of treating stuttering by neuromodulation

a neuromodulation and system technology, applied in the field of therapeutic treatment of stuttering, can solve the problems of no teaching in the application of dbs or drug delivery, significant developmental and social impact,

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-02-23
MEDTRONIC INC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is about treating stuttering using neural stimulation and drug delivery. The invention involves implanting electrodes in the brain and delivering electrical stimulation and drugs to specific areas. The treatment can be performed using transcranial magnetic stimulation or periodic electrical stimulation. The system also includes a sensor to detect when the patient starts speaking and adjust the stimulation parameters accordingly. The invention can provide a more effective and targeted treatment for stuttering.

Problems solved by technology

Stuttering is a speech-disfluency problem that can have significant developmental and social impacts upon stuttering individuals.
Further, there is no teaching in their work on the application of DBS or drug delivery for the chronic treatment of developmental stuttering as a disorder of the motor system.

Method used

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  • System and method of treating stuttering by neuromodulation
  • System and method of treating stuttering by neuromodulation
  • System and method of treating stuttering by neuromodulation

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Embodiment Construction

[0026] The neurogenic basis of stuttering is not well understood, but an analogy can be drawn between stuttering and motor tremor in a person's extremities or axial musculature. It is know that in some forms of tremor the occurrence of abnormal neural activity in specific brain regions (e.g., thalamus) is associated with the presence of tremor. It is also known that treatment of these regions with electrical stimulation or drug delivery can reduce or abolish tremor. The structures that are apparently involved in stuttering are the supplementary motor area, (SMA), the centromedian circuit (CM circuit), the dorsomedial nuclei (DM nuclei), the lateral prefrontal circuit, and other paramedian thalamic and midbrain nuclei, and by analogy to tremor, it is hypothesized that abnormal neural activity in these structures and circuits is associated with the presence of stuttering.

[0027] The thalamus and cortex are connected by a network of parallel neural circuits that send information in bot...

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Abstract

Stuttering-treatment techniques using neural stimulation and / or drug delivery. One or more electrodes and / or a catheter are implanted adjacent to sites in the brain. A signal generator and the electrode deliver stimulation to a first site. A pump and the catheter deliver one or more therapeutic drugs to a second site. The first and second sites could be: the supplementary motor area, the centromedian circuit, the dorsomedial nuclei, the lateral prefrontal circuit, or other paramedian thalamic and midbrain nuclei. The stuttering treatment could be performed via periodic transcranial magnetic stimulation. A sensor, located near the patient's vocal folds, can be used for generating a signal responsive to activity of the patient's speech-producing muscles. A controller adjusts one or more stimulation parameters in response to the signal from the sensor.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a Divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 001,751, filed Oct. 31, 2001. The entire content of this U.S. Application is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to therapeutic treatment of stuttering. More particularly, the invention relates to treating stuttering via neural stimulation and drug therapy techniques. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Stuttering is a speech-disfluency problem that can have significant developmental and social impacts upon stuttering individuals. Stuttering can include repetitions of parts of words and / or whole words, prolongation of sounds, interjections of sounds or words, and unduly prolonged pauses. [0004] Conventional stuttering treatment techniques typically focus on alerting the patient that stuttering is occurring and having the patient try to modify their breathing and / or speech patterns in an attempt to avoid stuttering. For instance, U.S....

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A61M31/00A61N1/32A61F5/58A61M5/142A61M5/172
CPCA61F5/58A61M5/14276A61N1/32A61M2210/0693A61M5/1723
Inventor STYPULKOWSKI, PAUL H.
Owner MEDTRONIC INC
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