Modulation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway to treat pain or addiction

摘要

Methods and devices for the treatment of chronic pain by modulation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. In particular, the methods and systems described herein may be used to enhance chronic pain therapies such as spinal cord stimulation (SCS). Thus, the present invention describes devices and methods for modulation of the cytokine pathway by stimulation of the neuronal cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (NCAP) to enhance the treatment of chronic pain by SCS. The use of NCAP in conjunction with SCS may potentiate the effects of SCS and/or prevent the desensitization of the patient to SCS.

主权项

1. A method of enhancing spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy to treat chronic pain of a patient, the method comprising: electrically stimulating the neuronal cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway for less than 10 minutes per day; treating the patient with spinal cord stimulation, wherein the step of electrically stimulating the neuronal cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway comprises stimulating in an amount sufficient to disrupt or counter a release of inflammatory cytokines from glial cells; and timing the electrical stimulation of the neuronal cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway and the spinal cord stimulation such that an effect on pain from the step of electrically stimulating the neuronal cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway overlaps with an effect on pain from the step of treating the patient with spinal cord stimulation.