Optical nerve stimulation for a vestibular prosthesis

描述（由申请人提供）：前庭疾病是一种使人衰弱的医学问题，它会导致平衡和视力障碍，对所有年龄和背景的人的生活产生不利影响。通过直接刺激前庭神经，绕过感觉器官来恢复前庭功能，有望缓解某些患者的这些症状。目前，还没有临床可用的治疗方法来恢复这种感觉信息的丢失。在其他合作努力中，Aculight开发了一种红外神经刺激装置，在周围神经和耳蜗神经刺激方面取得了成功。基于红外激光刺激神经的原理，这项工作的目标是通过开发和测试一种紧凑的多通道前庭假体，将这项技术应用于华盛顿大学的当前研究。使用这种新的刺激技术可以规避目前禁止开发有效的前庭假体装置的限制。在第一阶段，我们将开发和测试单通道激光神经刺激器，以满足前庭神经刺激的特定需求。第二阶段的工作将扩展该设备的功能，使其具有多个独立通道，并具有更紧凑的设计接口，可植入光传输系统。激光参数将通过在清醒的动物身上进行测试来完善。最终，该设备将用于测试与优化的多通道设备耦合的改进的长期植入式光传递探针，用于灵长类动物。这些既定目标将产生一种基于激光的刺激装置，适用于前庭假体研究和其他需要离散神经刺激的应用。如果成功，我们将继续与领先的研究机构合作，扩大红外神经刺激研究工具的适用性，并最终为人类患者商业化完全植入式前庭假体。本项目旨在通过开发前庭植入研究工具以及开发前庭植入假体装置，使那些因疾病或损伤而失去前庭功能的人受益。这项研究将集中于克服目前前庭植入研究的局限性，使人们能够稳定因前庭功能缺乏而受损的平衡和视力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Vestibular disorders represent a debilitating medical problem by causing balance and vision impairments that adversely affects the lives of people of all ages and backgrounds. The restoration of vestibular function by direct stimulation of the vestibular nerve, bypassing the sensory organs, is expected to alleviate these symptoms in some patients. Currently, there are no clinically available treatments to restore the loss of this sensory information. In other collaborative efforts, Aculight has developed an infrared nerve stimulation device that has demonstrated success in peripheral nerve and cochlear nerve stimulation. Based on the principles of nerve stimulation with an infrared laser, the objective of the proposed work is to apply this technology to current research at the University of Washington by developing and testing a compact, multi-channel vestibular prosthesis. The use of this new stimulation technique can circumvent the limitations that currently prohibit development of an efficient vestibular prosthetic device. In the Phase 1, we will develop and test a single channel laser nerve stimulator designed to suit the specific needs of vestibular nerve stimulation. The Phase 2 efforts will expand the functionality of the device to have multiple independent channels with a more compact design interfaced to an implantable light delivery system. Laser parameters will be refined through testing in awake animals. Ultimately, the device will be used to test the refined chronically implantable light delivery probe coupled to the optimized multi- channel device for use in primates. These stated goals will produce a laser-based stimulation device suitable for research in vestibular prostheses and other applications where discrete nerve stimulation is required. If successful, we will continue to partner with leading research institutions to expand the applicability of the infrared nerve stimulation research tool and, ultimately, to commercialize a fully implantable vestibular prosthesis for human patients. Project Narrative This project is intended to benefit those that have lost vestibular function through disease or injury by developing a tool for research in vestibular implants as well as developing a vestibular implantable prosthetic device. This research will focus on overcoming the limitations prohibiting current vestibular implant research, which will allow people to stabilize balance and vision that is impaired by the lack of vestibular function.