ELECTRICAL STIMULATION FOR THE VESTIBULAR NERVE

这个子项目是许多利用资源的研究子项目之一 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。次级项目的主要支助 子项目的主要研究者可能是由其他来源提供的， 包括其它NIH来源。 列出的子项目总成本可能 代表子项目使用的中心基础设施的估计数量， 而不是由NCRR赠款提供给子项目或子项目工作人员的直接资金。 目前，对于具有病理性前庭功能的患者的治疗选择有限。内耳前庭感觉的丧失会导致失衡和幻视。 部分损失导致不平衡。 梅尼埃病等疾病的波动性损失会导致间歇性眩晕和恶心。 我们的项目是开发一种可植入的前庭假体，以取代失去的前庭功能或纠正患有这些疾病的患者的异常前庭功能。 具体来说，我们开发了一种改进的人工耳蜗植入技术，以提供我们设备的可植入部分，然后开发了新的软件和外部硬件，以驱动单个半规管神经，电刺激适合于在恒河猴中产生反射性眼球运动反应。 然后，我们记录了单个前庭神经元，以确定在刺激过程中发生的中央处理，以产生观察到的行为。 我们现在使用经鼓膜注射庆大霉素来消除前庭输入，然后使用电刺激来补偿损失。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. Currently there are limited treatment options for patients with pathological vestibular function. Loss of vestibular sensation from the inner ear results in imbalance and oscillopsia. Partial loss results in disequilibrium. Fluctuating loss in conditions such as Meniere's disease, results in intermittent vertigo and nausea. Our project was to develop an implantable vestibular prosthesis to replace lost vestibular function or correct abnormal vestibular function in patients suffering from these conditions. Specifically, we developed a modification of cochlear implant technology to provide the implantable portion of our device, and then developed new software and external hardware to drive individual semicircular canal nerves with electrical stimuli appropriate to produce reflexive eye movement responses in rhesus monkeys. We then recorded from individual vestibular neurons to determine the central processing that takes place during stimulation to produce the observed behavior. We are now using transtympanic injections of gentamicin to eliminate vestibular input and then using electrical stimulation to compensate for the loss.