Methods for enhancing exposure therapy using pairing with vagus nerve stimulation
Inventors
Rodriguez, Christa McIntyre • Engineer, Navzer Dara • Kilgard, Michael P.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10213577-B2
Publication Date
2019-02-26
Expiration Date
Abstract
Disclosed is a method of enhancing exposure therapy comprising providing an exposure therapy to a patient and stimulating the patient's vagus nerve at the same time as the exposure therapy. Also disclosed is a post-traumatic stress disorder therapy method comprising providing an exposure event to a patient and stimulating the patient's vagus nerve during the exposure event. Also disclosed is a phobia disorder therapy method comprising providing an extinction event to a patient and stimulating the patient's vagus nerve during the exposure event. Also disclosed is an obsessive compulsive disorder therapy method comprising providing a therapy event to a patient and stimulating the patient's vagus nerve during the therapy event. Also disclosed is an addiction disorder therapy method comprising providing a therapy event to a patient and stimulating the patient's vagus nerve during the therapy event.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention provides PTSD therapy by providing, to a patient, an exposure event which is sensory-recreative of a traumatic event that contributed to the PTSD, and electrically stimulating the patient’s vagus nerve during the exposure event. The therapy framework links exposure-based extinction with concurrent vagus nerve stimulation so that the exposure event is delivered while the vagus nerve is stimulated.
The disclosed invention further extends this concept to phobia disorders by providing, to a patient, an extinction event which is sensory-recreative of something that contributed to the phobia, and electrically stimulating the patient’s vagus nerve during the extinction event, thereby at least partially alleviating the phobia disorder. In addition, the invention extends to OCD therapy by providing, to a patient, a therapy event which is sensory-recreative of something that contributed to the OCD, and electrically stimulating the patient’s vagus nerve during the therapy event.
The disclosed invention also extends to addiction disorder therapy by providing, to a patient, a therapy event which is sensory-recreative of something that contributed to addiction-disorder, and electrically stimulating the patient’s vagus nerve during the therapy event. The described approach is positioned as enhancing exposure-based memory extinction for anxiety and relapse disorders, including PTSD, phobia disorder, OCD, and addiction relapse.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover four therapy method categories that each combine a sensory-recreative exposure, extinction, or therapy event with concurrent electrical vagus nerve stimulation. The coverage includes inventive features related to the timing and nature of the sensory-recreative event and the electrical vagus nerve stimulation during that event, with an outcome limitation for the phobia disorder.
Sensory-recreative exposure event for PTSD with concurrent vagus nerve stimulation
Providing, to a patient, an exposure event which is sensory-recreative of a traumatic event that contributed to the PTSD; and electrically stimulating the patient’s vagus nerve during the exposure event.
Sensory-recreative extinction event for phobia with concurrent vagus nerve stimulation
Providing, to a patient, an extinction event which is sensory-recreative of something that contributed to the phobia; and electrically stimulating the patient’s vagus nerve during the extinction event, thereby at least partially alleviating the phobia disorder.
Sensory-recreative therapy event for OCD with concurrent vagus nerve stimulation
Providing, to a patient, a therapy event which is sensory-recreative of something that contributed to the OCD; and electrically stimulating the patient’s vagus nerve during the therapy event.
Sensory-recreative therapy event for addiction disorder with concurrent vagus nerve stimulation
Providing, to a patient, a therapy event which is sensory-recreative of something that contributed to addiction-disorder; and electrically stimulating the patient’s vagus nerve during the therapy event.
Across the independent claims, the shared inventive concept is the combination of a sensory-recreative exposure, extinction, or therapy event with electrically stimulating the patient’s vagus nerve during that event.
Stated Advantages
Enhances exposure-based memory extinction for anxiety and relapse disorders, including PTSD, phobia disorder, OCD, and addiction relapse.
At least partially alleviates the phobia disorder.
Reduces fear-potentiated startle and freezing behavior.
Maintains fear extinction effects after about 2 weeks without spontaneous recovery.
Improves fear extinction effectiveness and timing relative to fear conditioning.
Effective when delivered about 2 weeks after initial fear conditioning.
Documented Applications
PTSD therapy using an exposure event sensory-recreative of a traumatic event, with electrically stimulating the patient’s vagus nerve during the exposure event.
Phobia disorder therapy using a sensory-recreative extinction event, with electrically stimulating the patient’s vagus nerve during the extinction event to at least partially alleviate the disorder.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) therapy using a sensory-recreative therapy event, with electrically stimulating the patient’s vagus nerve during the therapy event.
Addiction disorder therapy using a sensory-recreative therapy event associated with addiction-disorder, with electrically stimulating the patient’s vagus nerve during the therapy event.
Therapy event formats described in the partial content include trauma-associated exposure event, exposure, extinction, or therapy event sensory-recreative of the relevant trigger, and references to addiction relapse.
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