CAREER: Scalable, Penetrating Multimodal Neural Interfaces for Adaptive Closed-Loop Neuromodulation

职业：用于自适应闭环神经调节的可扩展、穿透性多模态神经接口

基本信息

批准号：
2145412
负责人：
Samantha Santacruz
金额：
$ 58.28万
依托单位：
University of Texas at Austin
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Continuing Grant
财政年份：
2022
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2022-06-01 至 2027-05-31
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2145412&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
CAREER Scalable Penetrating Multimodal Neural

项目摘要

In the United States, anxiety disorders are the most prevalent neuropsychiatric illness, defined as an illness of the mind and nervous system, yet standard treatments for these disorders have failed to show a significant reduction in the prevalence or severity of illness. A major challenge is that anxiety disorders develop from disruptions in highly interconnected groups of brain areas, which are referred to as neural circuits, and the appropriate technologies to characterize these neural circuits are lacking. This CAREER project will develop and leverage a neural interface technology to characterize neural circuits impacted by anxiety disorders. Ultimately the work will increase understanding of neural mechanisms underscoring anxiety-related behavior and potentially lead to new treatment options. The research objectives in this proposal are integrated with an educational and outreach plan to increase visibility and training in neuroengineering. Specifically, the plan includes the following activities: establishing a neuroengineering research concentration; experiential learning and mentoring opportunities for women and underrepresented minorities; interactive and remote learning outreach activities; and multidisciplinary training for graduate and undergraduate students. The shortcomings of existing therapies for neuropsychiatric illnesses, such as anxiety, highlight the urgent need to better understand functional interactions in the affected neural circuits. The goal of this CAREER project is to develop a transformative multimodal neural interface fabrication process and design that will pave the way for establishing neural circuit mechanisms of anxiety-related behavior. Existing multimodal neural interfaces typically leverage manual assembly techniques that are not practically scalable and fail to reach brain areas beyond the superficial cortex. These shortcomings will be addressed by two foci. The Engineering Focus will develop microfabrication and microassembly processes for a neural interface design that can be easily optimized to different applications. The advantages of developing these processes include greater device yield, lower variation in fabricated devices, and design scalability to high channel counts. This work also distinguishes itself from the state-of-the-art in its holistic design that leverages a highly biocompatible material that easily integrates with the fabrication pipeline and is appropriate for multimodal functionality. Under the Biological Focus, the deep penetrating neural interface will be used to examine how approach-avoidance choice information is represented and communicated across relevant neural circuitry and implement an electrical neuromodulation paradigm to establish causal circuit mechanisms underlying aberrant changes in anxiety-related behavior. The knowledge gained through this work will provide a fundamentally new strategy to develop scalable multimodal neural interfaces and lay the foundation for neural circuit-level characterizations of any neurological condition – ultimately leading to new neuromodulatory interventions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

在美国，焦虑症是最常见的神经精神疾病，被定义为一种精神和神经系统疾病，但这些疾病的标准治疗未能显着降低疾病的患病率或严重程度。焦虑症是由高度互连的大脑区域组（称为神经回路）的破坏引起的，并且缺乏表征这些神经回路的适当技术。该职业项目将开发和利用神经接口技术来表征受影响的神经回路。最终是由焦虑症引起的。将增加对强调焦虑相关行为的神经机制的理解，并可能带来新的治疗选择。该提案中的研究目标与教育和推广计划相结合，以提高神经工程的知名度和培训。具体来说，该计划包括以下活动：建立神经工程研究中心；为女性和代表性不足的少数群体提供体验式学习和指导机会；为研究生和本科生提供互动和多学科培训。需要更好地了解受影响的神经回路中的功能相互作用。该职业项目的目标是开发一种变革性的多模态神经接口制造过程和设计，为建立现有的多模态神经接口的神经回路机制铺平道路。通常利用不可扩展的手动组装技术，并且无法到达浅表皮层以外的大脑区域。工程焦点将通过两个重点来解决神经接口设计的微加工和微组装工艺。开发这些工艺的优点包括更高的器件产量、更低的制造器件变化以及高通道数的设计可扩展性。整体设计利用高度生物相容性的材料，可轻松与制造流程集成，并适用于多模式功能。在生物焦点下，深度穿透神经接口将用于检查如何在相关神经中表示和传达接近-回避选择信息。电路并实施电神经调节范式，以建立焦虑相关行为异常变化背后的因果回路机制。通过这项工作获得的知识将为开发可扩展的多模态神经接口提供一种全新的策略，并为任何神经回路级表征奠定基础。神经系统疾病——最终导致新的神经调节干预措施。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。