INTRANEURAL MICRO-STIMULATION FOR PROSTHETIC SENSATION

这项拟议的研究旨在开发为截肢者提供 通过他们的假肢增强触觉。这一努力 建立在以前工作的基础上，使用长期植入的多通道 选择性激活个体感觉神经传入的微电极阵列 为了唤起比以前更自然的触觉知觉 演示了使用更多粗大的袖带或其他电极界面。这个 研究包括三项主要活动： 1)将对现有的多电极可插入装置进行改装 刺激周围神经轴突并在动物身上进行测试以验证 设计和植入程序。动物研究将包括 体感诱发电位分析.对条件反射的反应 行为范式；和组织相容性。刺激选择性， 阈值稳定性，以及随着时间的推移对神经损伤的评估将从 这只动物。学习。 2)在最初的动物工作之后，我们将把电极阵列植入 上肢截肢受试者进行慢性评估。有了这些 我们将优化刺激模式和参数以 最大限度地提高被唤起的感知的自然度。差异化品质 接触、轻触、滑移、持续力和渐变蒙皮力 都会被追捕。将从这些网站获得的其他信息 研究将是被诱发的“幻影”的位置、大小和稳定性。 对个人的可塑性的感觉和洞察力 慢性电刺激前后的感觉系统 切断了神经。 3)这个项目的成果将是可行性的证明 以及进行微刺激以进行感觉替换的可取性 在假体和设计规范中实施 永久有效的微刺激系统。

The proposed research seeks to develop means to provide amputee patients with enhanced tactile sensation from their prostheses. This effort builds on previous work by using a chronic implanted multichannel microelectrode array to selectively activate individual sensory afferents in order to evoke more natural tactile percepts than has previously been demonstrated using more gross cuff or other electrode interfaces. The research comprises three main activities: 1) An existing multielectrode insertable device will be modified for stimulation of peripheral nerve axons and tested in animals to verify the design and implantation procedure. The animal studies will include analysis of somatosensory evoked potentials; responses to a conditioned behavioral paradigm; and histocompatibility. Stimulus selectivity, threshold stability, and neural damage over time will be evaluated from the animal. studies. 2) Following the initial animal work, we will implant electrode arrays in upper extremity amputee subjects for chronic evaluation. With these subjects we will optimize the stimulation patterns and parameters to maximize the naturalness of the evoked percepts. Differential qualities of contact, light touch, slippage, sustained force and graded skin force will be sought. other information that will be obtained from these studies will be the location, size and stability of the evoked "phantom" sensations and insight regarding the plasticity of the individual's sensory system before and following chronic electrical stimulation of the amputated nerves. 3) The outcome of this project will be a demonstration of the feasibility and desirability of performing microstimulation for sensory replacement in prostheses and design specifications for the implementation of permanent and effective microstimulation systems.