Sensory neural prosthetics, motor control and active touch

描述（由申请人提供）：对假肢进行有效的自主神经控制可能需要将感觉反馈适当地整合到调节精细运动技能和判别触摸的感觉运动系统中。这个研究计划是基于这样的假设：将人工传感器整合到感觉运动假肢装置的合理设计取决于对中央体感回路功能的理解和利用，该功能向运动皮层提供相关的、适当处理的信息。在大鼠中，皮层处理的体感觉信息对于控制基于振动的主动触摸中的须运动至关重要。在这里，我们利用了关于啮齿动物须系统的组织和功能的庞大和不断增长的知识库。本研究计划的主要目标是在大鼠身上建立一个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联的颅内电刺激将被用作替代感官刺激来指导自愿须运动。大鼠将被训练来控制须的运动，其基础是通过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。成功的结果将证明：1)中央体感通路的电刺激是调节自主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)外部感觉假体可以被纳入自主的感觉运动控制。未来的研究可以采用类似的方法来研究运动皮质活动及其在控制假肢须方面的作用，类似于灵长类动物机械臂的神经控制。将这种方法与目前研究计划中开发的感觉方法相结合，将完成一个假肢感觉运动回路，该回路可以调节判别性主动触摸。该研究计划基于这样的假设：将人工传感器整合到感觉运动假肢装置的合理设计取决于对中央体感回路功能的理解和利用，该功能向运动皮层提供相关的、适当处理的信息。这项R21应用的主要目标是在大鼠身上开发一种实验方法，以评估在主动触摸过程中人工感觉神经反馈对精细运动控制的使用。

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.