A neurostimulation system comprises a control system configured to monitor a patient receiving neurostimulation therapy. The neurostimulation therapy has a stimulation cycle comprising a stimulation ON period, in which the patient is receiving neurostimulation, and a stimulation OFF period, in which the patient is not receiving neurostimulation. The control system is programmed to receive electrocardiogram (ECG) data from the patient receiving the neurostimulation therapy. The control system is further programmed to monitor a heart rate of the patient based on the ECG data over at least one stimulation cycle of the neurostimulation therapy. The control system is further programmed to generate an indication of signal stability to be displayed to a user based on the received ECG data.

Disclosed are methods and systems for treating epilepsy by stimulating a main trunk of a vagus nerve, or a left vagus nerve, when the patient has had no seizure or a seizure that is not characterized by cardiac changes such as an increase in heart rate, and stimulating a cardiac branch of a vagus nerve, or a right vagus nerve, when the patient has had a seizure characterized by cardiac changes such as a heart rate increase.

The present invention provides systems and methods for modulating the plasticity and/or memory of the autonomic nervous system.

Techniques are disclosed for using a cardiac signal sensed via a plurality of electrodes disposed on one or more leads implanted within an epidural space of a patient to control spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy. In one example, an implantable medical device (IMD) senses an electrical signal via a plurality of electrodes disposed on one or more leads implanted within an epidural space of a patient. Processing circuitry determines, from the electrical signal, one or more cardiac features indicative of activity of a heart of the patient. The processing circuitry controls, based on the one or more cardiac features, delivery of SCS therapy to the patient.

The present invention concerns an optoelectronic stimulating device for use in a medical treatment involving delivering an electrical current to an electrically excitable tissue (Z.sub.bio) by means of two electrodes (3n, 3p) electrically coupled to said tissue, said optoelectronic stimulating device comprising: (a) a source (4) of electrical impulses, which is electrically connected to (b) a source of light emission (2), in optical communication with (c) a photovoltaic cell (1) electrically connected to two electrodes (3n, 3p) for establishing two electrical contacts with said tissue and thus forming an electrical stimulating circuit fed by the photovoltaic cell (1) which is energized by the radiation of the source of light emission (2).

Vagal nerve stimulation devices and methods are provided for treating medical conditions, such as conditions associated with insufficient dopamine and/or endogenous opioids in the brain. A device includes one or more electrodes having a contact surface for contacting an outer skin surface of a patient and an energy source coupled to the electrodes. The energy source generates one or more electrical impulses and transmits the electrical impulses to the electrodes and transcutaneously through the outer skin surface of the patient at or near a vagus nerve. The one or more electrical impulses is sufficient to modulate the vagus nerve and release dopamine and/or endogenous opioids in a brain of the patient.

A system for electro-therapeutically treating a patient includes a stimulatory device electromagnetically coupled with the nervous system of a patient, an electrical power supply, and a control mechanism structured to energize the stimulatory device by way of the electrical power supply at a stimulation frequency. The control mechanism is further structured to control the energizing so as to produce a treatment signal encoded in the energizing and having a treatment signal frequency equal to or less than the stimulation frequency.

A method of neurostimulation titration. The method includes setting titration parameters for an electrical signal delivered by an implantable medical device, initiating titration with the titration parameters and an aggressiveness profile, performing titration by increasing at least one of a current amplitude, a frequency, a pulse width or a duty cycle of the electrical signal until a threshold is reached or a side effect is detected, pausing the titration while waiting for commands from the patient or caregiver, and resuming the titration in response to receiving authorization from an external device.

The present disclosure relates to methods, devices and systems used for the treatment of medical disorders via stimulation of the superficial elements of the trigeminal nerve. More specifically, minimally invasive systems, devices and methods of stimulation of the superficial branches of the trigeminal nerve located extracranially in the face, namely the supraorbital, supratrochlear, infraorbital, auriculotemporal, zygomaticotemporal, zygomaticoorbital, zygomaticofacial, nasal and mentalis nerves (also referred to collectively as the superficial trigeminal nerve) are disclosed herein.

An implantable neural tissue electrode assembly includes a cylindrical electrode lead with at least one electrode contact on the outer surface of the electrode lead. An active distal end fixation anchor is located at the distal end of the electrode lead and is adapted to fasten to adjacent tissue by rotation in a fastening direction. A passive rear fixation anchor is located on the outer surface of the electrode lead offset a longitudinal distance back from the distal end and has at least one curved blade with a blade tip directed away from rotation in the fastening direction. The rear fixation anchor is adapted to permanently fasten to adjacent tissue by rotation opposite to the fastening direction so that the blade tip cuts into the adjacent tissue, and the electrode assembly is adapted such that physiological induced strains are distributed along the electrode lead.