Methods and devices for inhibiting nerves when activating brown adipose tissue

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for inhibiting nerves when activating brown adipose tissue (BAT). In general, a first nerve type (e.g., sympathetic nerves) innervating BAT can be activated while at least one other nerve type (e.g., parasympathetic nerves and/or sensory nerves) innervating BAT is being suppressed. A first neuromodulator (e.g., an electrical signal, a chemical, a light, cooling, etc.) can be applied to activate the first nerve type, and a second neuromodulator can be applied to inhibit the at least one other nerve type. In this way, parasympathetic nerves and/or sensory nerves innervating BAT can be inhibited when activating sympathetic nerves innervating BAT.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical method, comprising:
 stimulating brown adipose tissue of a patient such that first nerves of a first type of nerves of the patient are activated and second nerves of a second type of nerves of the patient are suppressed, wherein the second nerves each have a diameter that is larger than a diameter of each of the first nerves.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first type of nerves is sympathetic nerves, and second type of nerves is parasympathetic nerves. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first type of nerves is sympathetic nerves, and the second type of nerves is sensory nerves. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stimulating includes applying a first neuromodulator to the brown adipose tissue for activating the first nerves and applying a second neuromodulator to the brown adipose tissue for suppressing the second nerves. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein applying the first neuromodulator includes delivering a first electrical signal to the brown adipose tissue; and
 applying the second neuromodulator includes delivering a second electrical signal to the brown adipose tissue that is different than the first electrical signal.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein applying the first neuromodulator includes applying a light to the brown adipose tissue; and
 applying the second neuromodulator includes applying a different light to the brown adipose tissue.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein applying the first neuromodulator includes delivering a chemical to the brown adipose tissue; and
 applying the second neuromodulator includes delivering a different chemical to the brown adipose tissue.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the application of the second neuromodulator is simultaneous with the application of the first neuromodulator. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the application of the second neuromodulator begins before the application of the first neuromodulator. 
     
     
         10 . A medical method, comprising:
 delivering an electrical signal to brown adipose tissue of a patient such that first nerve fibers having a first diameter are activated and nerve fibers having diameters different than the first diameter are not activated.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first nerve fibers are fibers of sympathetic nerves, and the nerve fibers having different diameters are fibers of parasympathetic nerves. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first nerve fibers are fibers of sympathetic nerves, and the nerve fibers having different diameters are fibers of sensory nerves. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first nerve fibers are postganglionic unmyelinated fibers, and the nerve fibers having different diameters are preganglionic myelinated fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the electrical signal includes a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal that is different than the first electrical signal. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second electrical signal has less energy than the first electrical signal by having less current than the first electrical signal, and a current of the first electrical signal is in a range of ten to one hundred times greater than a current of the second electrical signal. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second electrical signal has less energy than the first electrical signal by including a hyperpolarizing lower energy pulse as compared to the first electrical signal, or by including a depolarizing lower energy pulse as compared to the first electrical signal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second electrical signal is delivered to the brown adipose tissue via at least one electrode before the first electrical signal begins being delivered to the brown adipose tissue via the at least one electrode simultaneously with the delivery of the second electrical signal. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a signal generator begins generating the second electrical signal before beginning to generate the first electrical signal. 
     
     
         19 . A medical apparatus, comprising:
 a signal generator configured to generate an electrical signal; and   an electrode configured to be attached to a patient in contact with brown adipose tissue of the patient and to deliver the generated electrical signal to the brown adipose tissue such that first nerve fibers having a first diameter are activated and such that nerve fibers having diameters different than the first diameter are not activated.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the electrical signal includes a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal that is different than the first electrical signal;
 the first electrical signal is configured to activate the first nerve fibers;   the second electrical signal is configured to suppress the nerve fibers having diameters different than the first diameter; and   the first nerve fibers are fibers of sympathetic nerves, and the nerve fibers having different diameters are at least one of fibers of parasympathetic nerves and fibers of sensory nerves.