Non-regular electrical stimulation patterns for treating neurological disorders

Abstract

Systems and methods for stimulation of neurological tissue generate stimulation trains with temporal patterns of stimulation, in which the interval between electrical pulses (the inter-pulse intervals) changes or varies over time. Compared to conventional continuous, high rate pulse trains having regular (i.e., constant) inter-pulse intervals, the non-regular (i.e., not constant) pulse patterns or trains that embody features of the invention provide a lower average frequency.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising the steps of:
 applying electrical current to targeted neurological tissue region of a brain using an implantable pulse generator, wherein the implantable pulse generator applies electrical stimulation comprising a repeating succession of non-regular stimulation pulse trains, wherein each non-regular stimulation pulse train comprises: (i) a plurality of stimulation pulses having varying non-regular inter-pulse intervals between each of the plurality of stimulation pulses, and (ii) embedded multiple pulse groups with non-regular interpulse intervals therebetween.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a waveform shape of at least one of the stimulation pulses is different from a second pulse waveform shape of another of the stimulation pulses of the non-regular pulse train. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an amplitude of at least one of the stimulation pulses is different from a second pulse amplitude of another of the stimulation pulses of the non-regular pulse train. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each stimulation pulse of the plurality of stimulation pulses comprises a waveform that is either monophasic, biphasic, or multiphasic. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the stimulation pulses comprises a monophasic waveform. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the stimulation pulses comprises a biphasic waveform. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the stimulation pulses comprises a multiphasic waveform. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inter-pulse intervals are linearly cyclically ramped over time. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least of the stimulation pulses comprises a waveform that can be monophasic, biphasic, or multiphasic. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the waveform comprises a given amplitude ranging from 10 μa (E −6 ) to 10 ma (E −3 ). 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the waveform comprises a duration ranging from 10 μs (E −6 ) to 2 ms (E −3 ). 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising the steps of:
 applying electrical current to targeted neurological tissue region of a brain using an implantable pulse generator, wherein the implantable pulse generator applies electrical stimulation comprising a repeating succession of non-regular stimulation pulse trains, wherein each non-regular stimulation pulse train comprises a plurality of stimulation pulses having non-regular inter-pulse intervals between each of the plurality of stimulation pulses and embedded multiple pulse groups with non-regular interpulse intervals therebetween and wherein each stimulation pulse train of the non-regular stimulation pulse trains comprise concomitant changes in waveform and/or amplitude, and/or duration.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a waveform shape of at least one of the stimulation pulses is different from a second pulse waveform shape of another of the stimulation pulses of the non-regular pulse train. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein an amplitude of at least one of the stimulation pulses is different from a second pulse amplitude of another of the stimulation pulses of the non-regular pulse train. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each stimulation pulse of the plurality of stimulation pulses comprises a waveform that is either monophasic, biphasic, or multiphasic. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the inter-pulse intervals are linearly cyclically ramped over time. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least of the stimulation pulses comprises a waveform that can be monophasic, biphasic, or multiphasic. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the waveform comprises a given amplitude ranging from 10 μa (E −6 ) to 10 ma (E −3 ). 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the waveform comprises a duration ranging from 10 μs (E −6 ) to 2 ms (E −3 ). 
     
     
         20 . A method comprising the steps of:
 applying electrical current to targeted neurological tissue region of a brain using an implantable pulse generator, wherein the pulse generator applies a plurality of stimulation pulses having non-regular, non-random, and differing inter-pulse intervals between each of the plurality of stimulation pulses and embedded multiple pulse groups with non-regular interpulse intervals therebetween, and   repeating the applying step in succession.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein each stimulation pulse of the plurality of stimulation pulses comprises a waveform that is either monophasic, biphasic, or multiphasic. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the inter-pulse intervals are linearly cyclically ramped over time. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein at least of the stimulation pulses comprises a waveform that can be monophasic, biphasic, or multiphasic. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the waveform comprises a given amplitude ranging from 10 μa (E −6 ) to 10 ma (E −3 ). 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the waveform comprises a duration ranging from 10 μs (E −6 ) to 2 ms (E −3 ).