This proposal is submitted in response to RFA-NS-02-004 (Technology development for safe and effective deep brain stimulation). We have addressed Research Objective #3, """"""""The development of stimulators that are rechargeable and/or that have a wider range of stimulation rates, stimulation currents, pulse widths, pulse waveforms, and that permit recording from electrodes as well as stimulation."""""""" 1) We will develop a stimulator for deep brain stimulation that is rechargeable and that has a wider range of stimulation rates, stimulation currents, and pulse widths than any other available system. This development will include the external recharger and the tools required to program the stimulator. 2) We will develop a stimulator for deep brain stimulation with the above capabilities that can be mounted in the skull, thereby obviating the need to tunnel a lead through the neck. . This allows implantation of the DBS system without the need and the attendant risks of general anesthesia, and this reduces the risk of lead fracture or breakage by avoiding passage of the lead through the highly mobile neck area. 3) We will develop a stimulator for deep brain stimulation that includes sensing of the electrical activity of neurons. This system may use the stimulation electrodes for sensing or may incorporate separate recording electrodes integrated with the stimulation electrode array. The system may also be configured with a connector for a separate recording lead that may be place in a part of the brain that is relatively far removed from the area of stimulation. 4) We plan to make the above stimulators available to members of the NIH Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) consortium as well as other DBS researchers for research and testing.
