Development of an optical brain/nerve stimulator

描述（由申请人提供）：在神经刺激方面的一项新技术突破中，我们在范德比尔特大学的合作者开发了一种新的模式，使用低强度脉冲红外激光代替电能来激发复合神经和肌肉电位。光刺激可以诱导空间精确、高度可控和无伪影的动作电位，使用远低于组织消融阈值的能量产生，呈现出神经激活的范式转变，对临床神经刺激以及基础神经生理学和神经科学具有重要意义。这种新模式为高分辨率脑成像和神经传导研究以及神经切除的高空间选择性等可能性打开了大门。虽然光学刺激已经被证实是一种可行的神经激活方法，但要找到实用和临床应用的方法，必须开发一种简单、用户友好、便携、可靠和低成本的设备。在这项提案中，Aculight与范德比尔特大学合作，计划展示这一概念的实用性和独特能力，并开发一种便携式光学刺激器，用于临床和实验室环境的常规使用。建议项目第一阶段的具体目标如下：(1)初步研制便携式1.85微米二极管激光光刺激源。(2)评估激光用于光神经激活的可行性。(3)评估一致性、无损伤神经刺激的最佳激光参数，并开发第二代激光的概念设计以匹配这些参数。该装置最初将用于周围神经，并将在项目的后续阶段应用于大脑等中枢神经系统。在本次拨款申请期结束时，我们希望展示1.85微米激光用于神经刺激的安全性和有效性，并确定商业上可行的设备的最佳规格，该设备可以在相对较短的时间内进入电刺激器市场，如Grass刺激器，用于实验室和基于动物模型的神经激活研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In a novel technological breakthrough in neural stimulation, our collaborators at Vanderbilt University have developed a new modality that uses low intensity pulsed infrared laser light instead of electrical energy to elicit compound nerve and muscle potentials. Optical stimulation can induce spatially precise, highly controlled and artifact-free action potentials, generated using energies well below tissue ablation threshold, presenting a paradigm shift in neural activation that has major implications to clinical neural stimulation as well as fundamental neurophysiology and neuroscience. This new modality opens the door to such possibilities as high resolution brain mapping and nerve conduction studies as well as high spatial selectivity in neural resection. While optical stimulation has been validated as a viable method for neural activation, to find its way to practical utility and clinical use, a simple, user friendly, portable, reliable and low cost device must be developed. In this proposal, Aculight, in collaboration with Vanderbilt University, plan to demonstrate the utility and unique capability of this concept and develop a portable optical stimulator for routine use in clinical as well as laboratory setting. The specific aims of Phase 1 of the proposed project are as follows; (1) Develop an initial portable 1.85-micron diode laser source for optical stimulation. (2) Assess the feasibility of using the laser for optical neural activation. (3) Evaluate the optimal laser parameters for consistent, damage free neural stimulation, and develop the conceptual design of a second generation laser to match these parameters. The device will be initially developed for the peripheral nerve and will be applied to the central nervous system such as the brain in subsequent phases of the project. At the end of this grant application period, we expect to show the safety and efficacy of the 1.85-um laser for nerve stimulation, and determine the optimal specifications of a commercially viable device that can enter the market of electrical stimulators such as the Grass stimulator in a relatively short time frame for lab and research based neural activation in animal models.