System and method for nested neurostimulation

Abstract

A method and system are provided to deliver nested stimulation to brain tissue of interest. The method and system set first parameters that define a carrier waveform. The method and system set second parameters that define a high frequency waveform, wherein at least one of the carrier waveform and high frequency waveform are defined to correspond to physiologic neural oscillations associated with the brain tissue of interest. The method and system operates a pulse generator to generate a nested stimulation waveform that combines the carrier waveform and high frequency waveform. The nested stimulation waveform has a plurality of pulse bursts. The method and system deliver the nested stimulation waveform through one or more electrodes to the brain tissue of interest.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to deliver nested stimulation to nerve tissue of interest, the method comprising:
 setting first parameters that define a carrier waveform;   setting second parameters that define a high frequency waveform, wherein at least one of the carrier waveform and high frequency waveform are defined to correspond to physiologic neural oscillations associated with the nerve tissue of interest;   operating a pulse generator to generate a nested stimulation waveform that combines the carrier waveform and high frequency waveform, the nested stimulation waveform having a plurality of pulse bursts; and   delivering the nested stimulation waveform through one or more electrodes to the nerve tissue of interest.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nerve tissue of interest includes brain tissue of interest, and wherein the high frequency waveform corresponding to high-frequency physiologic neural oscillations associated with brain tissue of interest, and herein the pulse bursts including pulses having a frequency corresponding to the high frequency neural oscillations. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier waveform corresponds to low-frequency physiologic neural oscillations associated with the nerve tissue of interest. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the pulse bursts are separated from one another with a burst to burst period that corresponds to a frequency of the low-frequency neural oscillations. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second parameters define at least one of an amplitude, burst to burst frequency, pulse frequency, pulse width, burst length and burst period for the plurality of pulse bursts. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising combining the carrier and high-frequency waveforms utilizing one of the following types of cross frequency coupling: power to power; phase to power; phase to phase; phase to frequency; power to frequency and frequency to frequency. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier and high-frequency waveforms are combined through phase to power cross frequency coupling, in which the phase of the carrier waveform modulates the power of the high-frequency waveform. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first parameters are set to define the carrier waveform to correspond to the theta wave frequency band, while the second parameters are set to define the high-frequency waveform to correspond to the gamma wave frequency band, the method further comprising managing the nested stimulation waveform modulating the neural oscillations in the gamma wave frequency band in connection with at least one of sensory, motor, and cognitive events. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nerve tissue of interest includes brain tissue of interest, and further comprising managing the nested stimulation waveform in connection with an event of interest through cross frequency coupling between theta and gamma waves associated with brain tissue of interest. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nerve tissue of interest includes brain tissue of interest, and wherein the brain tissue of interest comprises distributed neural modules located in separate regions of the brain, the method further comprising managing the nested stimulation waveform in connection with cross frequency coupling between neural oscillations associated with the distributed neural modules that exhibit long-distance communication over neural oscillations within at least one of delta, theta and alpha wave frequency bands. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising measuring intrinsic neural oscillations, determining whether the nested stimulation waveform is achieving entrainment of the intrinsic neural oscillations, and adjusting at least one of the first and second parameters to maintain entrainment of the intrinsic neural oscillations. 
     
     
         12 . A system to deliver nested stimulation to nerve tissue of interest, the system comprising:
 a lead having an array of stimulation electrodes, the lead configured to be implanted at a target position proximate to nerve tissue of interest; and   an implantable medical device (IMD) coupled to the lead, the IMD including a processor and memory storing programmable instructions, the processor executing the programmable instructions to:   set first parameters that define a carrier waveform;   set second parameters that define a high frequency waveform, wherein at least one of the carrier waveform and high frequency waveform are defined to correspond to physiologic neural oscillations associated with the nerve tissue of interest;   operate a pulse generator to generate a nested stimulation waveform that combines the carrier waveform and high frequency waveform, the nested stimulation waveform having a plurality of pulse bursts; and   deliver the nested stimulation waveform through one or more electrodes to the nerve tissue of interest.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the high frequency waveform corresponding to high-frequency physiologic neural oscillations associated with the nerve tissue of interest, and herein the pulse bursts including pulses having a frequency corresponding to the high frequency physiologic neural oscillations. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the carrier waveform corresponds to low-frequency physiologic neural oscillations associated nerve tissue of interest. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the pulse bursts are separated from one another with a burst to burst period that corresponds to a frequency of the low-frequency neural oscillations. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second parameters define at least one of an amplitude, burst to burst frequency, pulse frequency, pulse width, burst length and burst period for the plurality of pulse bursts. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor combines the carrier and high-frequency waveforms utilizing one of the following types of cross frequency coupling: power to power, phase to power; phase to phase; phase to frequency; power to frequency and frequency to frequency. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor combines the carrier and high-frequency waveforms through phase to power cross frequency coupling, in which the phase of the carrier waveform modulates the power of the high-frequency waveform. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the nerve tissue of interest includes at least one of brain tissue, spinal cord tissue and dorsal root ganglion tissue. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the lead includes sensing electrodes, and the processor:
 measures intrinsic neural oscillations through the sensing electrodes;   determines whether the nested stimulation waveform is achieving entrainment of the intrinsic neural oscillations; and   adjusts at least one of the first and second parameters to maintain entrainment of the intrinsic neural oscillations.