Sensory neural prosthetics, motor control and active touch

描述(申请人提供)：有效的自愿、神经控制假肢可能需要感觉反馈，适当地整合到调节精细运动技能和辨别性触摸的感觉运动系统中。这项研究计划基于这样的假设，即将人工传感器整合到感觉运动假肢设备中的合理设计取决于对中枢体感电路功能的理解和开发，这些电路向运动皮质提供相关的、适当处理的信息。在大鼠中，皮层处理的体感信息对于在基于触觉的主动触摸过程中控制胡须移动至关重要。在这里，我们利用了关于啮齿动物胡须系统的组织和功能的庞大且不断增长的知识库。这项研究计划的主要目标是在大鼠身上开发一种用于研究神经感觉运动假体的模型系统。与外部传感器活动相关的颅内电刺激将被用作指导胡须随意运动的替代感觉刺激。将训练大鼠根据电刺激体感丘脑传递到中枢神经系统的替代感觉反馈信号来控制胡须的移动。成功的结果将证明：1)电刺激中枢躯体感觉通路是调节自愿精细运动行为的有效信号，2)这种刺激可以作为接触介导的主动触摸的替代信号，3)外部感觉假体可以合并到自愿的感觉运动控制中。未来的研究可能会使用类似的方法来研究运动皮质活动及其在控制假肢胡须中的使用，类似于灵长类动物对机械臂的神经控制。将这一点与本研究计划中开发的感觉方法相结合，将完成一个假体感觉运动环路，该环路可以调节辨别性主动触摸。公共卫生相关性这项研究计划是基于这样一个假设，即将人工传感器纳入感觉运动假肢设备的合理设计取决于对向运动皮质提供相关、适当处理信息的中央体感电路功能的理解和开发。此R21应用程序的主要目标是在大鼠身上开发一种实验方法，用于评估在主动触摸过程中使用人工感官神经反馈进行精细运动控制的情况。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Effective voluntary, neural control of prosthetic limbs may require sensory feedback that is suitably integrated into sensorimotor systems mediating fine motor skills and discriminative touch. This research plan is based on the assumption that the rational design of artificial sensors incorporated into sensorimotor prosthetic devices depends on an understanding - and exploitation - of the function of central somatosensory circuits that provide relevant, appropriately processed information to motor cortex. In rats, cortically processed somatosensory information is critically important for the control of whisker movements during vibrissal-based active touch. Here we take advantage of the large and growing knowledge base about the organization and function of the rodent whisker system. The principal goal of this research plan is to develop a model system in rats for investigating neural sensorimotor prostheses. Intracranial electrical stimulation keyed to external sensor activity will be used as surrogate sensory stimuli that direct voluntary whisker movements. Rats will be trained to control whisker movements on the basis of surrogate sensory feedback signals delivered into the central nervous system by electrical stimulation of the somatosensory thalamus. Successful outcomes would demonstrate that 1) electrical stimulation of central, somatosensory pathways is an effective signal for regulating voluntary, fine motor behavior, 2) such stimuli can serve as surrogate signals for contact-mediated active touch, and 3) an external, sensory prosthesis can be incorporated into voluntary, sensorimotor control. Future studies could employ similar approaches to investigate motor cortical activity and its use in controlling a prosthetic whisker, analogous to neural control of robotic arms in primates. Combining this with the sensory approaches developed in the present research plan would complete a prosthetic sensorimotor loop that can mediate discriminative active touch. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE This research plan is based on the assumption that the rational design of artificial sensors incorporated into sensorimotor prosthetic devices depends on an understanding - and exploitation - of the function of central somatosensory circuits that provide relevant, appropriately processed information to motor cortex. The principal goal of this R21 application is to develop an experimental approach in rats for evaluating the use of artificial sensori-neural feedback for fine motor control during active touch.