Functional nerve stimulation (FNS) can restore lost function in patients with damaged nervous system as in spinal cord injury or stroke. Electrodes placed directly on the nerves offer many advantages over muscular stimulation, including control of several muscles with one device, low power requirements, and the potential for recording afferent neural signals. Progress in this area, however, has been hampered by the lack of a truly safe and selective electrode for stimulation of, and recording from, peripheral nerves. In the previous grant application cycle, a novel type of electrode has been developed. This electrode either reshapes a nerve into a flat configuration or maintains it in an already flat shape. This Flat Interface Nerve Electrode (FINE) can both selectively record and stimulate nerves and studies have shown that it can be safe. In this competing renewal, we propose to capitalize on the advantage provided by the ability to line-up the fascicles and to get electrical contacts close to every axon within the nerve. This study has been divided into five primary objectives. The first objective is to determine the effect of the rate of reshaping of the nerve on the safety of the electrode. Hybrid electrodes designs that combine silicone with biodegradable polymer can provide a slow rate of reshaping of the electrode and will be implanted in animals.
The second aim focuses on the ability of the fine with contacts arrays positioned along the nerve to activate selectively fibers with specific diameters. The capability to restore normal recruitment by selectively activating small fibers and then large fivers is crucial to the success of neuroprosthetics devices.
The third aim i s to show that the fine electrode can differentiate neural activity from individual fascicles. Blind sources separation algorithms will be used to obtain the fascicular source activity from the voltage obtained at electrode contacts.
The fourth aim i s to determine the optimal contact configuration for selective stimulation. Computer models and animal's experiments will be combined to determine the optimum design in both animal and human nerves. Finally, the last aim is to implement an optimal wireless design of the Flat Interface Nerve Electrode (FINE). A 32-channel peripheral nerve electrode will be built by embedding an electronic circuit within a silicone cuff with only two external leads to a battery pack. The control of the stimulation parameters and the charging of the battery will be done by wireless control. The end product of this project will be a peripheral nerve electrode consisting of a wireless electrode for selective neural stimulation and recording and capable of fiber diameter control. This electrode could significantly improve the ability of current neural prosthetic devices to restore neuromuscular function.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01NS032845-14S1
Application #
7912110
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BDCN-K (10))
Program Officer
Ludwig, Kip A
Project Start
1994-06-01
Project End
2011-09-29
Budget Start
2009-09-30
Budget End
2011-09-29
Support Year
14
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$150,674
Indirect Cost
Name
Case Western Reserve University
Department
Biomedical Engineering
Type
Schools of Engineering
DUNS #
077758407
City
Cleveland
State
OH
Country
United States
Zip Code
44106
Eggers, Thomas E; Dweiri, Yazan M; McCallum, Grant A et al. (2017) Model-based Bayesian signal extraction algorithm for peripheral nerves. J Neural Eng 14:056009
Park, Hyun-Joo; Durand, Dominique M (2015) Motion control of the rabbit ankle joint with a flat interface nerve electrode. Muscle Nerve 52:1088-95
Tang, Y; Wodlinger, B; Durand, D M (2014) Bayesian spatial filters for source signal extraction: a study in the peripheral nerve. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 22:302-11
Tang, Yuang; Wodlinger, Brian; Durand, Dominique M (2011) An algorithm for source signal extraction from the peripheral nerve. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2011:4251-4
Wodlinger, B; Durand, D M (2011) Recovery of neural activity from nerve cuff electrodes. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2011:4653-6
Koubeissi, Mohamad Z; Rashid, Saifur; Casadesus, Gemma et al. (2011) Transection of CA3 does not affect memory performance in rats. Epilepsy Behav 21:267-70
Wodlinger, B; Durand, D M (2011) Selective recovery of fascicular activity in peripheral nerves. J Neural Eng 8:056005
Calvetti, Daniela; Wodlinger, Brian; Durand, Dominique M et al. (2011) Hierarchical beamformer and cross-talk reduction in electroneurography. J Neural Eng 8:056002
Wodlinger, B; Durand, D M (2010) Peripheral nerve signal recording and processing for artificial limb control. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2010:6206-9
Wang, Kevin; Liu, Chung-Chiun; Durand, Dominique M (2009) Flexible nerve stimulation electrode with iridium oxide sputtered on liquid crystal polymer. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 56:6-14

Showing the most recent 10 out of 31 publications