CRCNS: Improving Bioelectronic Selectivity with Intrafascicular Stimulation

外周神经网络提供了用于调节和/或治疗的非凡潜力。 监测内部器官或大脑的功能。神经系统的功能是 产生神经活动的模式为了达到预期的效果而影响神经活动， 神经接口技术必须进入适当的周围神经组织，激活它， 并改变其活动模式。的解剖结构 周围神经，其由聚集成一个或多个神经束的多个神经纤维组成， 为精确控制时空模式带来了机遇和挑战。疗效 周围神经刺激的能力将在很大程度上取决于生物电子 接口以实现临床应用可能需要的特异性， 基础科学研究和提高人类能力。系统可以实现更大的 特异性可能会实现更高程度的功能，副作用更少。这 工作的目的是提高外周神经的特异性 刺激的方式，这将使广泛的临床和非电生理临床应用。 嵌入神经束内的神经内电极可以利用低振幅的电刺激。 脉冲产生电场，该电场可以优先激活小的纤维群， 靠近电极。纵向神经束内电极（LIFE）允许进入神经 纤维束内的纤维和它们的机械性能非常适合于长期使用。静物 使激活与亚神经束特异性，但有很大的潜力， 他们的特异性使用先进的刺激策略。这场美法 协作是通过探索两种方法来实现高度特异性：使用多种 在一个专册内接触直流电（现场指导战略），并使用替代 刺激脉冲的形状以优先激活具有特定性质的纤维（波形 战略）。该提案建立在先前的合作基础上，其中一个新的硬件平台， 刺激是由法国团队开发的。使用计算模型，我们将开发和 分析选择性刺激单个神经束内神经纤维的新策略。的 硬件平台将得到加强和进一步发展，以便能够实时实施 现场转向和波形策略与一组生命周期。在体内研究中， 兔子将评估场转向和波形策略的能力，以提高 神经束内刺激的选择性。

The network of peripheral nerves offers extraordinary potential for modulating and/or monitoring the functioning of internal organs or the brain. The nervous system functions by generating patterns of neural activity. To influence neural activity for desired outcomes, neural interface technology must access the appropriate peripheral nerve tissue, activate it in a focal targeted manner, and alter the patterns of activity. The anatomical organization of peripheral nerves, which consists of multiple nerve fibers clustered into one or more fascicles, presents opportunities and challenges for precise control of spatiotemporal patterns. The efficacy of peripheral nerve stimulation will depend greatly on the ability of the bioelectronic interface to achieve the specificity that may be required for clinical applications, basic science studies and for augmentation of human capabilities. Systems that enable greater specifictty are likely to achieve a higher degree of functionality with fewer side effects. This work is directed at increasing the specificity that can be achieved with peripheral nerve stimulation in a manner that will enable a wide range of clinical and non­ clinical applications. lntraneural electrodes that are embedded within the fascicles can utilize low-amplitude electrical pulses to generate an electric field that can preferentially activate small groups of fibers that are close to the electrode. Longitudinal intrafascicular electrodes (LIFEs) allow access to nerve fibers within a fascicle and their mechanical properties are well-suited for chronic use. LIFEs enable activation with sub­ fascicular specificity, but there is great potential for enhancing their specificity using advanced stimulation strategies. The goal of this US-French collaboration is to achieve high specificity by exploring two approaches: using multiple contacts within a fascicle to direct current (field-steering strategies) and using alternative shapes of stimulation pulses to preferentially activate fibers with specific properties (waveform strategies). The proposal builds on a prior collaboration in which a new hardware platform for stimulation was developed by the French team. Using computational models, we will develop and analyze new strategies for selective stimulation of nerve fibers within individual fascicles. The hardware platform will be enhanced and further developed to enable real-time implementation of the field-steering and waveform strategies with a set of LIFEs. In vivo studies on anesthetized rabbits will assess the ability of the field-steering and waveform strategies to enhance selectivity with intrafascicular stimulation.