Patent ID: 8676327

Claim:
An implantable neurostimulator ( 20 ) for treatment of patients, in particular those having Parkinson's disease or depression, comprising: a signal generator ( 40 ) configured to generate stimulation pulses, connected or connectable to at least one electrode ( 10 ) implantable in a brain of a patient; a signal generator control unit ( 36 ) connected to the signal generator ( 40 ) and designed to control a delivery of stimulation pulses and to make adjustments in signal generator settings as needed; a device configured to determine and analyze a heart rate ( 30 , 32 , 34 ) of the patient, wherein said device is connected to the signal generator control unit ( 36 ); wherein the signal generator control unit ( 36 ) is configured to check on a health status of the patient or a success of a treatment or a health status of the patient and a success of a treatment based on at least one heart-rate-dependent characteristic quantity determined at a specific time of day or night by the device configured to determine and analyze the heart rate ( 30 , 32 , 34 ) and, compare said at least one heart-rate-dependent characteristic quantity determined at said specific time of day or night with a previously saved at least one heart-rate-dependent characteristic quantity from a corresponding said specific time of day or night, to make an adjustment of the signal generator settings; and, wherein said at least one heart-rate-dependent characteristic quantity comprises a root mean ware successive differences or RMSSD between neighboring NN intervals.