Electrical therapy applied to the brain with increased efficacy and/or decreased undesirable side effects, and associated systems and methods
Electrical therapy applied to the brain with increased efficacy and/or decreased undesirable side effects, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed. A representative method includes applying a therapy signal to a patient, via at least one electrode at a subdural or epidural location at the patient's brain, to provide effective therapy that reduces or eliminates the effects of a patient disorder. The therapy signal does not induce any non-therapeutic side effects, and has a frequency in a frequency range of from 1.2 kHz to 500 kHz, an amplitude in an amplitude range from 0.1 to 20 mA, and a pulse width in a pulse width range from 1 microsecond to 400 microseconds.
1. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
programming an implantable signal generator to deliver an electrical signal to a target neural population in the patient's brain, via an implanted signal delivery device, to reduce or eliminate the effects of a patient disorder and without the electrical signal inducing paresthesia,
wherein the electrical signal has a frequency in a frequency range of from 5 kHz to 500 kHz, an amplitude in an amplitude range of from 0.1 mA to 20 mA, and a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 10 microseconds to 333 microseconds.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the implanted signal delivery device is positioned at or adjacent a deep brain region of the patient's brain.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the implanted signal delivery device is positioned at or adjacent a cortical region of the patient's brain.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the target neural population includes neurons of at least one of a ventral intermediate nucleus, a subthalamic nucleus, or a globus pallidus internus.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency range is from 5 kHz to 100 kHz.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency range is from 5 kHz to 20 kHz.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal does not induce any sensory side effects, cognitive side effects, and motor side effects.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the patient disorder is a motor disorder.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the motor disorder includes Parkinson's disease.
10. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
programming an implantable signal generator to deliver an electrical signal having a frequency in a frequency range of from 5 kHz to 500 kHz to a target neural population in the patient's brain, via an implanted signal delivery device, to reduce or eliminate the effects of a patient disorder and without the electrical signal inducing paresthesia.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the implanted signal delivery device is positioned at or adjacent a deep brain region of the patient's brain.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the implanted signal delivery device is positioned at or adjacent a cortical region of the patient's brain.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein the target neural population includes neurons of at least one of a ventral intermediate nucleus, a subthalamic nucleus, or a globus pallidus internus.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein the frequency range is from 5 kHz to 100 kHz.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein the frequency range is from 5 kHz to 20 kHz.
16. The method of claim 10 wherein the electrical signal does not induce any sensory side effects, cognitive side effects, and motor side effects.
17. The method of claim 10 wherein the patient disorder is a motor disorder.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the motor disorder includes Parkinson's disease.
19. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
programming a signal generator to deliver an electrical signal having a frequency in a frequency range of from 5 kHz to 500 kHz to a subthalamic nucleus in the patient's brain, via an implanted signal delivery device positioned at or adjacent the subthalamic nucleus, to reduce or eliminate the effects of a patient disorder and without the electrical signal inducing paresthesia.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the frequency range is from 5 kHz to 100 kHz.
21. The method of claim 19 wherein the frequency range is from 5 kHz to 20 kHz.
22. The method of claim 19 wherein the electrical signal does not induce any sensory side effects, cognitive side effects, and motor side effects.
23. The method of claim 19 wherein the patient disorder is a motor disorder.
24. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
programming an implantable signal generator to deliver an electrical signal to a subthalamic nucleus of a patient, via an implanted signal delivery device positioned at or adjacent the subthalamic nucleus, to reduce or eliminate effects of a patient disorder and without the electrical signal inducing paresthesia,
wherein the electrical signal has a frequency in a frequency range of from 5 kHz to 20 kHz, an amplitude in an amplitude range of from 0.1 to 20 mA, and a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 10 microseconds to 333 microseconds.
25. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
programming an implantable signal generator to deliver an electrical signal to a subthalamic nucleus of a patient, via an implanted signal delivery device positioned at or adjacent the subthalamic nucleus, to reduce or eliminate effects of a patient disorder and without the electrical signal inducing paresthesia,
wherein the electrical signal has a frequency of 10 kHz, an amplitude in an amplitude range of from 0.1 to 10 mA, and a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 30 microsecond to 35 microseconds.