Vagus nerve stimulation with target effects controlled by adjusting temporal parameters

摘要

One or more temporal stimulation parameters of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) are selected to substantially modulate one or more target physiological functions without substantially modulating one or more non-target physiological functions. In one embodiment, a stimulation duty cycle is selected such that VNS is delivered to the cervical vagus nerve trunk to modulate a cardiovascular function without causing laryngeal muscle contractions.

主权项

1. A method or electrically stimulating a vagus nerve, the method comprising:
delivering electrical stimulation pulses to the vagus nerve through an electrode placed on the vagus nerve; and controlling delivery of the electrical stimulation pulses using one or more temporal parameters selected to result in substantial change in a cardiovascular function without causing contraction of a laryngeal muscle, the one or more temporal parameters specifying timing of the electrical stimulation pulses, the cardiovascular function adjustable by the electrical stimulation pulses delivered to the vagus nerve through the electrode placed on the vagus nerve, wherein controlling the delivery of the electrical stimulation pulses includes adjusting a duty cycle of the one or more temporal parameters such that a first parameter indicative of the cardiovascular function is within a first threshold range and a second parameter indicative of the contraction of the laryngeal muscle is within a second threshold range.