Described is a low voltage, pulsed electrical stimulation device for controlling expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (“BDNF”), a useful protein, by tissues. Also described are methods of enhancing expression of BDNF in cells, particularly a method of stimulating the expression and/or release of BDNF in a cell having a gene encoding BDNF, wherein the method includes applying a bioelectric signal of from about 10 Hz to about 100 Hz (e.g., 5 Hz, 10 Hz, 40 Hz, 100 Hz, or 110 Hz) to the cell (e.g., directly, indirectly, or wirelessly). Applications in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, depression, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder are also disclosed.

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.

A system and method for treating pain without paresthesia by spinal cord stimulation.

A computer implemented method and system is provided for managing neural stimulation therapy. The method comprises under control of one or more processors configured with program instructions. The method delivers a series of candidate stimulation waveforms having varied stimulation intensities to at least one electrode located proximate to nervous tissue of interest. A parameter defines the candidate stimulation waveforms is changed to vary the stimulation intensity. The method identifies a first candidate stimulation waveform that induces a paresthesia-abatement effect, while continuing to induce a select analgesic effect. The method further identifies a second candidate stimulation waveform that does not induce the select analgesic effect. The method sets a stimulation therapy based on the first and second candidate stimulation waveforms.

Systems and methods for treating congestive heart failure with high frequency stimulation are disclosed. A representative method for treating a patient includes applying an electrical signal having a frequency of from about 1 kHz to about 100 kHz to the patient via a treatment system that includes a signal delivery element in electrical communication with the patient's vagus nerve at a portion of the vagus nerve located at or proximate to the anterior interventricular junction of the patient's heart. The method can further include automatically detecting at least one physiological parameter of the patient, automatically determining at least one of an ejection fraction of the patient's heart and a correlate of the ejection fraction based on the detected parameter, and automatically adjusting the applied signal based on the determined ejection fraction.

An implantable medical device (IMD) is described capable of determining whether a patient is susceptible to freezing of gait events during ambulatory movement without the patient demonstrating an episode of freezing of gait. In one example, the IMD senses, via one or more electrodes, a bioelectrical signal of a brain of the patient while the patient performs movement associated with freezing of gait. The IMD determines, based on the bioelectrical signal, whether the patient is susceptible to freezing of gait while the patient is not experiencing an episode of freezing of gait. Further, upon detecting the movement associated with freezing of gait, the IMD delivers electrical stimulation therapy to the patient configured to suppress freezing of gait.

Systems and methods for the efficient use of an implantable pulse generator (IPG) battery are disclosed. A representative system for adjusting an electrical signal of an IPG associated with delivering therapy to a patient comprises a computer readable medium having instructions that cause the IPG to deliver a supply voltage at a first value, adjust the supply voltage from the first value until a threshold break occurs, and, based at least in part of the threshold break, increase the supply voltage from the second value to a third value. As therapy is delivered to the patient, the system iteratively adjusts the supply voltage to approach and reflect a variable minimum voltage needed to provide the requested current to the IPG.

Described is a low voltage, pulsed electrical stimulation device for controlling expression of klotho, a useful protein, by tissues. Also described are methods of enhancing expression of klotho in cells.

A method of treating tinnitus comprising measuring a patient's hearing, determining the patient's hearing loss and the patient's tinnitus frequency using the measurements of the patient's hearing, programming a clinical controller with the measurements of the patient's hearing, selecting a plurality of therapeutic tones, where the therapeutic tones are selected to be at least a half-octave above or below of the patient's tinnitus frequency, setting an appropriate volume for each of the plurality of tones, repetitively playing each of the plurality of therapeutic tones, and pairing a vagus nerve stimulation pulse train with each playing of a therapeutic tone, thereby reducing the patient's perception of tinnitus.

A system and method for treating anorectal and/or genitourinary dysfunction includes implanting, in a minimally invasive manner, an electro-medical device for stimulation of two or more anatomical or histological structures of the anorectal region and/or genitourinary region. Electrodes operably connected to the device are positioned proximate the target anatomical or histological structures. The device provides either the same or different stimulation algorithms to each anatomical or histological structure, which may be the same or different. The varied stimulation parameters, such as pulse width, pulse amplitude, and pulse frequency, are defined such that after an application of the electrical pulses, an abdominal leak pressure, an abdominal leak volume, or a urine volume increases or a number of incontinent episodes or a mean incontinence volume per episode decreases relative to said parameters prior to the application of the electrical pulses.