A long-lasting, wireless, biocompatible pressure sensor device is integrated within a hydrocephalus shunt, either within the shunt's reservoir/anchor or as an inline or pigtailed connector. When integrated within a typical reservoir, the device can sit within the reservoir's hollow frustum area covered by the resilient silicone dome of the reservoir. When integrated as an inline connector, the device can sit at any point on the peritoneal catheter or ventricular catheter, including between the VP shut's valve and reservoir. The pressure sensor device includes electronics that can be powered wirelessly by a reader held to a patient's scalp, and so no battery may be required. The reader can transmit an ambient, atmospheric pressure reading from outside the skull to the implanted device so that its electronics can calculate a calibrated gauge pressure internally and then relay it to a patient's smart phone.

A system including a flow control assembly. The system may include a flow regulating shunt system, for various purposes such as a use as a hydrocephalus shunt. The flow control assembly may be controlled according to selected parameters and methods. These include controlling microelectromechanical (MEMS) system to control a pressure in the flow control assembly.

Methods and apparatus for improving cognitive function within a human. The invention utilizes an implanted device, such as an implantable signal generator or an implantable pump, to affect tissue elements within a Papez circuit of the human brain as well as tissue upstream or downstream from the Papez circuit. The implanted device delivers treatment therapy to thereby improve cognitive function by the human. A sensor may be used to detect various symptoms of the cognitive disorder. A microprocessor algorithm may then analyze the output from the sensor to regulate delivery of the stimulation and/or drug therapy.

A method and system for treating Alzheimer's disease wherein blood, spinal fluid or brain cavity fluid is circulated into and outside of the body by means of blood pumps or other external circulatory systems. While passing through the pumping system, the amyloid plaques and Tao tangles are filtered from the fluids and returned to the body lowering the protein levels, and in the process, reduce symptoms. In one embodiment a patient's blood is filtered using a pump to circulate the blood from the patient to the collection vessel where an electrical current will cause anything that has a positive charge to be attracted to a cathode plate suspended in the collection vessel for later disposal. In an alternate embodiment a patient's brain and/or spinal fluid a pump operates to circulate a flushing fluid. The pump will circulate the solution from the collection vessel to the patient.

A method and device used to improve the operation of a hydrocephalus shunt system based on the use of alpha and beta radioactive isotopes implanted in the critical zones of the shunt in order to prevent the deposition of organic matter such as blood cells, tissue, or bacteria, thereby clogging the system and causing malfunction.

A method for monitoring a flowrate of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt implanted in a human patient includes: (i) receiving, at a device external to the human patient, data sensed by a plurality of sensors within the device and positioned relative to the VP shunt to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid from the human patient's brain; (2) determining, by the device and based on the sensed data, a rate of flow of the CSF in the VP shunt; and (3) transmitting (e.g., wirelessly), by the device, data indicating the rate of flow to a computing server.

Described herein is the use of CSF, more particularly external CSF or CSF-like compositions for the treatment and prevention of different diseases. More particularly, the application provides for the administration of CSF to the intrathecal space or the cerebral ventricles of a patient to increase intracranial pressure and/or CSF flow.

Aspects herein relate to systems and methods for delivery of biologic agents to the central nervous system. In various embodiments, a method of administering a therapeutic agent to the central nervous system (CNS) is included. The method can include injecting a therapeutic agent into a first cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) region of the subject. The method can further include establishing fluid communication between a fluid reservoir and a second cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) region of a subject, the fluid having a hydraulic pressure at or above an intracranial pressure. The method can further include infusing a hyperosmotic fluid systemically. Other embodiments, including kits and systems are also included herein.

An apparatus and method use a catheter for specific and discriminate treatment of central nervous system disease. With the catheter, selective hypothermia to the brain and/or the spinal cord for injury protection can be achieved without the need for systemic cooling. The catheter is also capable of draining excess cerebrospinal fluid.

Drainage devices and microactuator systems adapted to be incorporated into drainage devices to provide a self-clearing capability for reducing obstructions in the drainage devices and/or a self-monitoring capability to confirm the overall operating condition of the drainage devices and their microactuators. Such a microactuator system includes a microactuator having a base, a cantilever comprising a flexure extending from the base and a plate structure at a distal end of the flexure, a sensing element on the flexure for sensing deflection of the cantilever, and a device for inducing an oscillating deflection of the cantilever relative to the base.