Methods and systems for determining and using an intensity index for electrical stimulation

1 . A method for determining an intensity index for electrical stimulation, the method comprising:

receiving stimulation information;

determining a stimulation field from the stimulation information;

determining at least one stimulation field function using the stimulation field;

analyzing the determined at least one stimulation field function to determine the intensity index, wherein the intensity index corresponds to a stimulation target and indexes at least one dosing reference for electrical stimulation for that stimulation target, wherein the dosing reference represents the response of the stimulation target to changes in one or more stimulation parameters, wherein an intensity parameter alters delivery of therapy according to the intensity index and the intensity parameter is a function of at least two of stimulation amplitude, pulse width, pulse rate, or pulse shape;

selecting a value of the intensity parameter for stimulating a patient; and

stimulating a patient according to the selected value of the intensity parameter.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one stimulation field function and analyzing the determined at least one stimulation field function comprise determining a plurality of the stimulation field functions using the stimulation field and analyzing the determined stimulation field functions to determine the intensity index.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the determined at least one stimulation field function comprises analyzing the determined at least one stimulation field function to identify the stimulation target and determining the intensity index from the identified stimulation target.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising displaying, for a user, the stimulation target.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein displaying the stimulation target comprises coloring or shading the stimulation target, wherein the coloring or shading highlights the stimulation target or indicates a confidence in the identification of the stimulation target.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stimulation field function is selected from a first derivative, or first difference, of the stimulation field, a second derivative, or second difference, of the stimulation field, or a driving function of the stimulation field.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein determining the at least one stimulation field function comprises determining at least one of the at least one stimulation field function along a first trajectory.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first trajectory is a trajectory extending along a neural element, anatomical structure, astrocyte, microglia, or oligodendrocyte.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the determined at least one stimulation field function comprises analyzing the determined at least one stimulation field function using at least one threshold condition or conditional statement regarding the determined at least one stimulation field function.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one stimulation field function comprises a first stimulation field function and a second stimulation field function, wherein the at least threshold condition or conditional statement comprises a comparison between values of first and second stimulation field functions.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the determined at least one stimulation field function comprises analyzing the determined at least one stimulation field function at one or more observational points.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving a user selection of at least one of the one or more observational points.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the one or more observational points is a center, or centroid of mass, of the stimulation field.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the one or more observational points is a region, wherein analyzing the determined at least one stimulation field function at the one or more observational points comprises obtaining a maximum or minimum value of at least one of the at least one stimulation field function over the region.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one stimulation field functions comprises a first stimulation field function and a second stimulation field function and the one or more observational point comprises at least one first observational point and at least one second observational point, wherein analyzing the determined at least one stimulation field function at the one or more observational points comprises analyzing the first stimulation field function at the at least one first observational point and analyzing the second stimulation field function at the at least one second observational point.

16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions for estimating neural activation arising from stimulation by a stimulation system, the processor-executable instructions when installed onto a device enable the device to perform actions, the actions comprising the method of claim 1 .

17 . A system for determining an intensity index for electrical stimulation, the system comprising:

at least one processor configured to perform actions, comprising:

receiving stimulation information;

determining a stimulation field from the stimulation information;

determining at least one stimulation field function using the stimulation field;

analyzing the determined at least one stimulation field function to determine the intensity index, wherein the intensity index corresponds to a stimulation target and indexes at least one dosing reference for electrical stimulation for that stimulation target, wherein the dosing reference represents the response of the stimulation target to changes in one or more stimulation parameters, wherein an intensity parameter alters delivery of therapy according to the intensity index and the intensity parameter is a function of at least two of stimulation amplitude, pulse width, pulse rate, or pulse shape;

receiving a selection of a value of the intensity parameter associated with the intensity index for stimulating a patient; and

directing stimulation of a patient according to the value of the intensity parameter.