REM Sleep Stimulation Therapy for RBD Movement Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Neurological disorders such as rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD) disrupt sleep quality by causing uncontrolled movements during REM sleep, which can lead to injury and worsen symptoms due to disturbed sleep patterns.
Innovation Solution
A medical device system that monitors biosignals to determine when a patient is in a REM sleep stage and delivers electrical stimulation therapy to inhibit movement, using an implantable medical device or external device to deliver therapy to the brain or other tissue sites to reduce or eliminate uncontrolled physical movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrical stimulation therapy is delivered to the brain to inhibit movement during REM sleep, then uncontrolled physical movements are reduced or eliminated, but device complexity and treatment invasiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the sleep treatment by detecting specific sleep stages (REM vs. non-REM) and delivering stimulation only during REM sleep when movement inhibition is needed. This temporal segmentation allows the device to remain inactive during other sleep stages, reducing overall complexity while maintaining effective movement control during critical periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The implantable medical device automatically detects REM sleep stages through biosignal monitoring and autonomously delivers stimulation therapy without requiring external intervention. The system self-regulates based on detected sleep stage, eliminating the need for manual operation or complex external control systems.
2Reliability
If electrical stimulation therapy is delivered to inhibit movement during REM sleep, then sleep quality improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device delivers electrical stimulation periodically only during REM sleep stages rather than continuously throughout the night. By synchronizing therapy delivery with the periodic occurrence of REM sleep (which typically occurs in cycles), the system improves sleep quality while minimizing energy consumption by remaining inactive during non-REM periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses biosignal monitoring to detect sleep stage transitions and provides feedback control for stimulation delivery. This feedback mechanism ensures therapy is delivered only when needed (during REM sleep), optimizing both sleep quality improvement and energy efficiency by avoiding unnecessary stimulation during other sleep stages.
3Loss of time
If biosignals are monitored to detect REM sleep stage, then therapy delivery timing is improved, but measurement precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multiple biosignal modalities (EEG, EOG, EMG) that serve both as diagnostic tools for sleep stage detection and as triggers for therapy delivery. This multi-functional approach allows the same measurement system to provide both timing information and verification of REM sleep state, reducing the need for separate high-precision measurement systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses characteristic biosignal patterns (such as rapid eye movements detected by EOG or specific EEG waveforms) as intermediary indicators of REM sleep stage. These intermediary signals provide reliable timing cues for therapy delivery without requiring direct measurement of all sleep stage parameters, thereby reducing measurement precision requirements while maintaining accurate therapy timing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The therapy effectively reduces or eliminates uncontrolled movements during REM sleep, improving sleep quality and reducing the risk of injury, while also managing symptoms of RBD and potentially other neurological conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the medical device system may monitor one or more biosignals indicative of activity within the brain of the patient, and detect when the patient is in an REM sleep based on the biosignal of the patient
Implementation Method 2
the medical device system may then deliver electrical stimulation therapy to the patient, e.g., to the brain of the patient... delivering therapy to the brain to inhibit movement of the patient during the REM sleep stage
Data Source
AI summary
Examples for delivering electrical stimulation to a patient via a medical device to manage or treat rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD) are described. In one example, a method comprises determining a patient is in a rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stage, and delivering electrical stimulation therapy to the patient based on the determination that the patient is in the REM sleep stage, where the electrical stimulation therapy is delivered to inhibit movement of the patient during the REM sleep stage. In some examples, the electrical stimulation therapy may be delivered to the brain of the patient.