Methods and apparatus for neuromodulation and physiologic modulation for the treatment of obesity and metabolic and neuropsychiatric disease

Abstract

The present invention teaches a method and apparatus for physiological modulation, including neural and gastrointestinal modulation, for the purposes of treating several disorders, including obesity, depression, epilepsy, and diabetes. This includes chronically implanted neural and neuromuscular modulators, used to modulate the afferent neurons of the sympathetic nervous system to induce satiety as well as to modulate the efferent neurons of the sympathetic nervous system to modulate metabolism, including metabolic rate. Furthermore, this includes neuromuscular stimulation of the stomach to effect baseline and intermittent smooth muscle contraction to increase gastric intraluminal pressure, which induces satiety, and stimulate sympathetic afferent fibers, including those in the sympathetic trunk, splanchnic nerves, and greater curvature of the stomach, to augment the perception of satiety.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of and incorporates by reference U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 872,549 entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR NEUROMODULATION AND PHSYIOLOGIC MODULATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF METABOLIC AND NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISEASE, filed Jun. 21, 2004, and naming as inventor Daniel John DiLorenzo, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 198,871, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR NEUROMODULATION AND PHSYIOLOGIC MODULATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF METABOLIC AND NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISEASE, filed Jul. 19, 2002, and naming as inventor Daniel John DiLorenzo, which is a continuation of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 307,124, entitled PHYSIOLOGIC MODULATION FOR THE CONTROL OF OBESITY, DEPRESSION, EPILEPSY, AND DIABETES, filed Jul. 19, 2001, and naming as inventor Daniel John DiLorenzo.[0002]This application is a continuation of and incorporates by reference U.S. Provisional Patent Application No...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention is about a system and method for treating various diseases, including obesity, depression, epilepsy, and diabetes, by using neural modulation and direct stimulation of nerves and tissues. The invention includes devices and methods for stimulating the gastric muscle to increase satiety, the pylorus to slow down food outflow, and the vagus nerve to control seizure activity. The invention also includes noninvasive techniques for neural modulation, such as tactile and temperature stimulation. Overall, the invention provides a novel approach to treating these diseases by targeting the central and peripheral nervous systems."

Problems solved by technology

However, prior techniques have generally not addressed the problems associated with satiety, morbidity, mortality of intracranial modulation and the risk of ulcers.

Stimulation of the left ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) nucleus resulted in delayed eating by dogs who had been food deprived.

Stimulation of the vagus nerve may pose risks for ulcers in patients, of particular concern, as obese patients often have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD); further augmentation of gastric acid secretion would only exacerbate this condition.

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