An Ultrasonic Neural Stimulator

超声波神经刺激器

• 批准号: 6444907
• 负责人: BRUCE C. TOWE
• 金额: $ 10万
• 依托单位: PHOENIX BIOTECH, INC.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-05-01 至 2003-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6444907
• 关键词: Anura; biomedical equipment development; electron microscopy; electronic stimulator; electrophysiology; histochemistry /cytochemistry; histology; laboratory rabbit; laboratory rat; nervous system prosthesis; neuromuscular stimulator; sciatic nerve; ultrasound; ultrasound biological effect

A remarkable and unexpected interaction effect between high frequency ultrasound energy and bioelectrically excitable tissue will be employed to the development of a line of advanced microstimulators for medical neurogenic applications An excised nerve preparation as well as hippocampal tissue slices of the rat brain will be used as physiologic models for further study of the ultrasound interactions with natural and applied bioelectric currents. The limits of ultrasound effectiveness in this application, some preliminary evaluations of its safety, and exploration of different methods of applying the ultrasound to neural tissue will be conducted. Micro-sized ultrasound transducers will be fabricated using photographic techniques and submillimeter diameter lithium niobate crystals in an effort to characterize the ultimate limits of its miniaturization and potential for implantation. This work will serve to underpin a new approach to neuro-electric stimulation that uses ultrasound energy to substantially reduce the current levels required to stimulate nerves in the body and possibly open up new applications of neural stimulation. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: Ultrasonic neural stimulators would improve the effectiveness of therapeutic electrical stimulation which is currently a multibillion dollar market. The apparent advantages of ultrasound combined with lower levels of electrical stimulation suggest medical applications of the spinal cord, peripheral nerve and brain. This market is currently served with conventional electrostimulators by large medical device companies like Medtronic, Guidant, and others.

利用高频超声能量与生物电刺激组织之间的显著而意想不到的相互作用，将开发一系列用于医学神经源性应用的先进微刺激器。切除的神经制剂和大鼠脑海马组织切片将作为生理学模型，进一步研究超声与自然和应用生物电电流的相互作用。本文将对超声在神经组织应用中的局限性、安全性进行初步评价，并探讨超声应用于神经组织的不同方法。微型超声换能器将使用照相技术和亚毫米直径的铌酸锂晶体来制造，以努力表征其微型化和植入潜力的最终极限。这项工作将为神经电刺激的新方法奠定基础，该方法利用超声能量大大降低刺激体内神经所需的电流水平，并可能开辟神经刺激的新应用。建议的商业应用：超声波神经刺激器将提高治疗性电刺激的有效性，目前电刺激是一个数十亿美元的市场。超声结合较低水平电刺激的明显优势提示脊髓、周围神经和大脑的医学应用。该市场目前由大型医疗器械公司（如美敦力、Guidant等）提供传统电刺激器。