Method and apparatus for affecting the autonomic nervous system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for affecting the autonomic nervous system of a subject using stimuli based on separate analysis of the sympathetic and/or parasympathetic branches of the subject's autonomic nervous system. The present invention also relates to a method and apparatus for affecting the autonomic nervous system, wherein stimuli is applied in coordination with cyclical activities of the subjects body such as respiration or cardiac cycle.

1 - 65 . (canceled)  
     
     
         66 . A method for non-invasive treatment of a condition by affecting an autonomic nervous system of a human subject having a heart cycle wherein the method comprises: 
 applying a plurality of stimuli to the human subject wherein the stimuli are of a same stimulus type and have a same stimulus quality modulated by a stimulus parameter and wherein the plurality of stimuli comprise: a first stimulus applied at a time T1 and having a stimulus parameter S1; a second stimulus applied at a time T2 and having a stimulus parameter S2; and a third stimulus applied at a time T3 and having a stimulus parameter S3;    monitoring the heart cycle of the human subject during a first time period to generate first heart data wherein the first time period ends after T1;    analyzing the first heart data to assess a first activity level (A1) of the autonomic nervous system;    calculating S2 based on A1;    monitoring the heart cycle of the human subject during a second time period to generate second heart data wherein the second time period ends after T2;    analyzing the second heart data to assess a second activity level (A2) of the autonomic nervous system; and    calculating S3 based on A2.    
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the stimulus type is a sensory stimulus type.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the stimulus type is selected from the group consisting of: light, sound, taste, smell, temperature, balance and touch.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein the stimulus quality is a quality selected from the group consisting of: of brightness, intensity, loudness, color, wavelength, frequency, flavor, aroma and pitch.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein the plurality of stimuli are synchronized to the heart cycle of the human subject.  
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein each of analyzing the first heart data and analyzing the second heart data comprises assessing a heart rate variability.  
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 71 , wherein assessing a heart rate variability comprises performing frequency domain analysis.  
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 72 , wherein performing frequency domain analysis is accomplished using at least one method selected form the group consisting of: Fast Fourier Transform analysis, autoregressive analysis and wavelet analysis.  
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein each of A1 and A2 is calculated so as to reflect the activity of a same branch of the autonomic nervous system selected from the group consisting of: the parasympathetic branch and sympathetic branch.  
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 71 , wherein the first time period overlaps the second time period and the second time period overlaps the third time period.  
     
     
         76 . A method for affecting the functioning of an autonomic nervous system of a human subject comprising: 
 applying a first stimulus commencing at a first time (T1) to the human subject wherein the stimulus has a stimulus characteristic determined by a first value;    monitoring a cyclic activity of the human subject during a first time period to generate first activity data wherein the first time period ends after T1;    analyzing the first activity data to assess a first activity level of the autonomic nervous system;    calculating a second value based on the first activity level;    applying a second stimulus commencing at a second time (T2) having a stimulus characteristic determined by the second value to the human subject;    monitoring the cyclic activity of the human subject during a second time period to generate second activity data wherein the second time period ends after T2;    analyzing the second activity data to assess a second activity level of the autonomic nervous system;    calculating a third value based on the second activity level; and    applying a third stimulus commencing at a third time (T3) having a stimulus characteristic defined by the third value to the human subject.    
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 76 , wherein each of the first stimulus, second stimulus and third stimulus is a sensory stimulus of a same type.  
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 77 , wherein the type is selected from the group consisting of: light, sound, taste, smell, temperature, balance and touch.  
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 78 , wherein each stimulus characteristic is a stimulus characteristic of a same type selected from the group consisting of: of brightness, intensity, loudness, color, wavelength, frequency, and pitch.  
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein each stimulus is of a same type selected from the group consisting of: light and sound.  
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 78 , wherein T1, T2 and T3 are synchronized to the cyclic activity of the human subject.  
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 81 , wherein the cyclic activity is a cardiopulmonary activity.  
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein the cyclic activity is breathing.  
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 83 , wherein each of the first activity level and second activity level is calculated so as to reflect the activity of a branch of the autonomic nervous system selected from the group consisting of: the parasympathetic branch and sympathetic branch.  
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 76 , wherein each of the first activity level and second activity level is calculated so as to reflect the activity of any one branch of the autonomic nervous system selected from the group consisting of: the parasympathetic branch and sympathetic branch.  
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 85 , wherein the first time period overlaps the second time period and the second time period overlaps the third time period.  
     
     
         87 . Apparatus for treating a condition by affecting the autonomic nervous system of a human subject comprising: 
 stimuli applicator means for applying a first stimulus having a stimulus characteristic determined by a first parameter (S1) to the human subject at a first time (T1), applying a second stimulus having a stimulus characteristic determined by a second parameter (S2) to the human subject at a second time (T2) and applying a stimulus having a stimulus characteristic determined by a third parameter (S3) to the human subject at a third time (T3);    activity monitor means for monitoring a cyclic activity of the human subject during a first period ending after T1 to generate first activity data and monitoring the cyclic activity of the human subject during a second time period ending after T2 to generate second activity data; and    stimuli modulator means for analyzing the first activity data to assess a first performance (A1) of the autonomic nervous system during the first time period and analyzing the second activity data to assess a second performance (A2) of the autonomic nervous system during the second period; and wherein the stimuli modulator means calculates S2 based on A1 and calculates S3 based on A2.    
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein each of the first stimulus, second stimulus and third stimulus is a sensory stimulus of a same type.  
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein each of the first stimulus, second stimulus and third stimulus is a stimulus of a same type selected from the group consisting of: light, sound, taste, smell, temperature, balance and touch.  
     
     
         90 . The apparatus of  claim 89 , wherein each stimulus characteristic is a stimulus characteristic of a same type selected from the group consisting of: of brightness, intensity, loudness, color, wavelength, flavor, aroma, frequency, and pitch.  
     
     
         91 . The apparatus of  claim 90 , wherein each stimulus is of a same type selected from the group consisting of: light and sound.  
     
     
         92 . The apparatus of  claim 89 , wherein the stimuli applicator means comprises means for synchronizing T1, T2 and T3 to the cyclic activity of the human subject.  
     
     
         93 . The apparatus of  claim 92 , wherein the cyclic activity is a cardiopulmonary activity.  
     
     
         94 . The apparatus of  claim 93 , wherein the cyclic activity is breathing.  
     
     
         95 . The apparatus of  claim 92 , wherein A1 and A2 are calculated so as to reflect the performance of any one branch of the autonomic nervous system selected from the group consisting of: the parasympathetic branch and sympathetic branch.  
     
     
         96 . The apparatus of  claim 95 , wherein the stimuli modulator means comprises means for performing frequency domain analysis of the first activity data and second activity data.  
     
     
         97 . The apparatus of  claim 92 , where the cyclic activity is cardiovascular activity.  
     
     
         98 . The apparatus of  claim 97 , wherein the activity monitor means comprises an ECG monitor.  
     
     
         99 . The apparatus of  claim 98 , wherein the stimuli modulator means comprises means for performing heart rate variability analysis of the first activity data and second activity data.  
     
     
         100 . The apparatus of  claim 99 , wherein the stimuli applicator means comprises an audiovisual display device.