NEC Seminar (hybrid) -- Margaux Randolph
Lab: Functional Neural Interfaces, Human Fusions Institute
PI: Dustin Tyler
Sears 439
Abstract:
Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) has been implemented for various clinical applications including the alleviation of chronic neuropathic pain, sensory restoration following amputation and a wide range of autonomic therapies. The therapeutic benefit of peripheral nerve interfaces relies on the selectivity of the interface, which refers to its capability to activate specific axonal populations while avoiding activation of others. However, there is a historical trade-off between interface selectivity and invasiveness. Invasiveness refers to the extent of physical interaction between the interface and the axonal population, which is characterized by the protective nerve membranes that are interrupted, namely the perineurium. We hypothesize that peripheral nerve electrodes that are placed between the fascicles -interfascicularly - may balance this trade-off of invasiveness and selectivity by allowing access to distributed and central axon populations while leaving the perineurium intact. Limited exploration of this strategy in the literature reflects the difficulty of achieving clinically viable placement of flexible contacts between fascicles. In this talk, we discuss the acute implantation of microwire contacts into the nerve and characterize electrode placement relative to fascicular anatomy and other contacts using micro-computed tomography. Looking ahead, an upcoming chronic study will evaluate nerve health with the interfascicular electrode, and this we will highlight both the study design and the evolving literature on methods for assessing chronic nerve health. These efforts represent an important step toward clinically translatable peripheral nerve interfaces that combine high selectivity with minimal invasiveness.