Electrical Stimulation System and Method for Stimulating Tissue in the Brain to Treat a Neurological Condition

Abstract

According to one aspect, a stimulation system is provided for electrically stimulating a predetermined site to treat a neurological condition. The system includes an electrical stimulation lead adapted for implantation in communication with a predetermined site, wherein the site is brain tissue site. The stimulation lead includes one or more stimulation electrodes adapted to be positioned in the predetermined site. The system also includes a stimulation source that generates the stimulation pulses for transmission to the one or more stimulation electrodes of the stimulation lead to deliver the stimulation pulses to the predetermined site to treat a neurological disorder or condition.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a neurological condition in a subject comprising the steps of:
 determining a target site of in a brain of the subject to be stimulated, wherein said determining comprises mapping the brain to identify an area of the brain having altered neuronal activity, said identified area is the target site;   placing an electrode in communication with the target site; and   providing a stimulation signal to the electrode to stimulate the target site to treat the neurological condition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the neurological condition is selected from the group consisting of pain, tinnitus, depression, phantom perception, pareshesias, synesthesia, hyperalgesia, allodynia, dysesthesias, dyskinesia, tremor, dystonia, chorea and ballism, tic syndromes, Tourette's Syndrome, myoclonus, drug-induced movement disorders, Wilson's Disease, Paroxysmal Dyskinesias, Stiff Man Syndrome and Akinetic-Ridgid Syndromes and Parkinsonism. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the altered neuronal activity is an increase in neuronal activity. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the altered neuronal activity is a decrease in neuronal activity. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified area is located in the cortex. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified area is located in the somatosensory cortex. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified area is located in a cortical or cerebellar area of reorganization. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the neurological condition is acute pain, subacute pain or chronic pain. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the mapping is neurophysiological mapping. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the mapping is performed by the techniques selected from the group consisting of positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), x-ray computed tomography (CT), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), brain electrical activity mapping (BEAM), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electrical impedance tomography (EIT), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and optical imaging. 
     
     
         11 . An electrical stimulation system for electrically stimulating a target tissue in a brain of a subject to treat a neurological condition, comprising:
 an electrode for electrical stimulation of the target tissue;   a pulse generating source operable to generate electrical stimulation pulses for transmission to the electrodes to cause the electrodes to deliver electrical stimulation pulses to the target tissue to treat neuroplasticity effects in the subject's brain while delivering electrical stimulation pulses for treating the neurological condition.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the target tissue is identified using brain mapping to determine a site of altered neuronal activity. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the electrode is positioned in communication with the target tissue. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the pulse generating source is operable to generate the electrical stimulation pulses according to one or more stimulation sets each specifying a plurality of stimulation parameters, the stimulation parameters for a stimulation set comprising a polarity for each electrode at each of one or more times within a stimulation pulse for the stimulation set. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein treating neuroplasticity effects in the person's brain comprises reducing neuroplasticity effects in the person's brain. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein treating neuroplasticity effects in the person's brain comprises enhancing neuroplasticity effects in the person's brain. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the electrode is a percutaneous lead or laminotomy lead.