Dynamic nerve stimulation employing frequency modulation

Abstract

Described are apparatus and methods for electrically modulating a nerve in a mammal. An electrical signal that includes a signal intensity pattern and a signal frequency pattern is delivered to a nerve. The combination of the signal intensity pattern and the signal frequency pattern is effective to result in weight loss, fat loss, and/or lean-mass gain, in a mammal. In some embodiments the nerve is modulated in response to a physiological parameter. In some embodiments, the physiological parameter is measured by a sensor.

1 . A method of stimulating nerve tissue of a patient using a pulse generator, the method comprising:
 generating, by the pulse generator, a stimulation signal, the stimulation signal having an intensity pattern including a current amplitude a pulse width, and the stimulation signal having a frequency pattern including a frequency;   varying, by the pulse generator, at least one of the current amplitude and the pulse width of the intensity pattern of the stimulation signal;   varying, by the pulse generator, the frequency of the frequency pattern of the stimulation signal;   providing the stimulation signal from the pulse generator to a medical lead; and   applying the stimulation signal to the nerve tissue via one or several electrodes of the medical lead;   wherein the combination of the intensity pattern of the stimulation signal and the frequency pattern of the stimulation signal as applied to the nerve tissue, results in at least one of a loss of fat mass and a gain in lean mass of the patient.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the step of varying, by the pulse generator, at least one of the current amplitude and the pulse width of the intensity pattern is varied over time. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the step of varying, by the pulse generator, the frequency of the frequency pattern is varied over time. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the step of varying, by the pulse generator, at least one of the current amplitude and the pulse width of the intensity pattern and the step of varying, by the pulse generator, the frequency of the frequency pattern are varied over time, independently of each other. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the nerve tissue includes at least a portion of the splanchnic nerve. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein in the step of applying the stimulation signal to nerve tissue, at least one of the electrodes is a cuff electrode. 
     
     
         7 . A method of stimulating nerve tissue of a patient using an implantable pulse generator, the method comprising:
 generating, by the implantable pulse generator, a stimulation signal, the stimulation signal having an intensity pattern including a current amplitude a pulse width, and the stimulation signal having a frequency pattern including a frequency;   varying, by the implantable pulse generator, at least one of the current amplitude and the pulse width of the intensity pattern of the stimulation signal;   varying, by the implantable pulse generator, the frequency of the frequency pattern of the stimulation signal;   providing the stimulation signal from the implantable pulse generator to a medical lead; and   applying the stimulation signal to the nerve tissue via one or several electrodes of the medical lead at least one of the electrodes being a cuff electrode;   wherein the combination of the intensity pattern of the stimulation signal and the frequency pattern of the stimulation signal as applied to the nerve tissue, results in at least one of a loss of fat mass and a gain in lean mass of the patient.   
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the step of varying, by the implantable pulse generator, at least one of the current amplitude and the pulse width of the intensity pattern is varied over time. 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the step of varying, by the implantable pulse generator, the frequency of the frequency pattern is varied over time. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein each of the step of varying, by the implantable pulse generator, at least one of the current amplitude and the pulse width of the intensity pattern and the step of varying, by the pulse generator, the frequency of the frequency pattern are varied over time, independently of each other. 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the nerve tissue includes at least a portion of the splanchnic nerve. 
     
     
         12 . A method of stimulating nerve tissue of a patient using a pulse generator, the method comprising:
 generating, by the pulse generator, a stimulation signal, the stimulation signal having an intensity pattern including a current amplitude a pulse width, and the stimulation signal having a frequency pattern including a frequency;   varying, by the pulse generator, at least one of the current amplitude and the pulse width of the intensity pattern of the stimulation signal;   varying, by the pulse generator, the frequency of the frequency pattern of the stimulation signal;   providing the stimulation signal from the pulse generator to a medical lead; and   applying the stimulation signal to the nerve tissue of the patient via one or several electrodes of the medical lead at least one of the electrodes being a cuff electrode, with at least a portion of the nerve tissue including the splanchnic nerve;   wherein the combination of the intensity pattern of the stimulation signal and the frequency pattern of the stimulation signal as applied to the nerve tissue, results in at least one of a loss of fat mass and a gain in lean mass of the patient.   
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the stimulation signal is provided from the pulse generator in response to a physiological parameter. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the stimulation signal is provided from the pulse generator in response to a signal from a sensor configured to measure the physiological parameter. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the step of varying, by the pulse generator, at least one of the current amplitude and the pulse width of the intensity pattern is varied over time. 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the step of varying, by the pulse generator, the frequency of the frequency pattern is varied over time. 
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein each of the step of varying, by the pulse generator, at least one of the current amplitude and the pulse width of the intensity pattern and the step of varying, by the pulse generator, the frequency of the frequency pattern are varied over time, independently of each other.