A Neural Prosthesis for the Restoration of Locomotion after Spinal Cord Injury

用于恢复脊髓损伤后运动的神经假体

• 批准号: 8398291
• 负责人: Kevin Andrew Mazurek
• 金额: $ 4.22万
• 依托单位: JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-08-15 至 2015-08-14
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8398291
• 关键词: Address; Biological; Biological Neural Networks; Clinical; Custom; Development; Devices; Electrodes; Fatigue; Feedback; Felis catus; Future; Goals; Horns; Human; Implanted Electrodes; Individual; Laboratories; Lead; Leg; Limb structure; Location; Locomotion; Lower Extremity; Lumbosacral Region; Maps; Methods; Modeling; Motor; Motor Neurons; Movement; Muscle Fatigue; Neurons; Optics; Pattern; Prosthesis; Protocols documentation; Public Health; Recruitment Activity; Research; Resistance; Sensory; Signal Transduction; Site; Spinal Cord; Spinal Ganglia; Spinal cord injury; Stimulus; System; Testing; Time; Walking; Weight; Weight-Bearing state; Work; base; central pattern generator; design; digital; improved mobility; intraspinal microstimulation; limb movement; neural circuit; neural prosthesis; neural stimulation; neuroprosthesis; novel; preconditioning; programs; relating to nervous system; restoration; sensor; spinal nerve posterior root; success; tool

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this project is to develop a smart neural prosthesis capable of producing an adjustable stimulation pattern for producing over-ground walking. The prosthesis will utilize intraspinal microstimulation (ISMS) to activate the motor neuron pools in the ventral horn of the lumbosacral region of the spinal cord where functional movements of the lower extremities can be restored. Extensive research has been conducted to validate the existence of a central pattern generator (CPG) which controls locomotion. This neural network is thought to integrate a preconditioned timing pattern as well as afferent feedback through the dorsal root from the lower extremities to produce coordinated and stable movements during locomotion. ISMS is a novel method of neural stimulation using ultra fine wires in the spinal cord to deliver electrical stimuli in activating the neuron pools in the ventra horn of the spinal cord. It has been demonstrated in cats that ISMS possesses the ability to generate sufficient force to support the weight of the hind limbs in addition to the desired leg movements required for locomotion. The aims of the present project are to develop a mobile, neural prosthesis capable of producing an adjustable stimulation pattern across different ISMS electrodes where the amplitude adjusts based on intrinsic and sensory conditions. The prosthesis will integrate afferent feedback in the form of external sensor signals or neural recordings from the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) as well as predetermined intrinsic timing thresholds to produce a changing stimulation waveform similar to what is observed in the biological CPG. Previous work using ISMS has mapped which movements are activated at different locations along the spinal cord and this information will be used to produce efficient functional movements and load bearing forces necessary for over-ground walking. By effectively programming the prosthesis, it will produce stimulation patterns which can adapt to perturbations such as slipping, tripping, and muscle fatigue by utilizing the afferent feedback. The success and reliability of the neural prosthesis in a cat model will lead towards the first device of its kind which can be used in a clinical setting involving humans with spinal cord injury PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposed project is relevant to public health because it will provide progress towards the development of a neural prosthesis for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). While current studies are being conducted in cats, its success will lead towards the implementation of a neuroprosthesis for future use in a clinical setting.

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目的目的是开发一个智能神经假体，能够产生可调节的刺激模式，以产生地面步行。假体将利用脊髓内微刺激（ISM）激活脊髓腰s骨区域的腹角中的运动神经元池，在那里可以恢复下肢的功能运动。已经进行了广泛的研究，以验证控制运动的中央模式发生器（CPG）的存在。人们认为，该神经网络通过从下肢的背根开始整合了预处理的时序模式以及传入的反馈，以在运动过程中产生协调和稳定的运动。 ISMS是一种使用脊髓中超细线的神经刺激的新方法，在激活脊髓的Ventra Horn中的神经元池时提供电刺激。在猫中已经证明了ISM具有产生足够的力来支撑后肢重量的能力，除了运动所需的腿部运动。本项目的目的是开发一种可移动的神经假体，能够在不同的ISMS电极上产生可调刺激模式，其中振幅基于内在和感觉条件进行调整。这些假体将以外部传感器信号或背侧根神经节（DRG）的神经记录的形式整合传入反馈，以及预定的内部定时阈值，以产生与生物学CPG中观察到的相似的变化刺激波形。先前使用ISM的工作已绘制了哪些运动在脊髓沿不同位置激活的运动，该信息将用于产生有效的功能运动和越过地面步行所需的负载轴承力。通过有效地对假体进行编程，它将产生刺激模式，可以通过利用传入反馈来适应诸如滑动，绊倒和肌肉疲劳之类的扰动。 CAT模型中神经假体的成功和可靠性将导致同类产品的第一个设备，该设备可用于涉及脊髓损伤的人类的临床环境 公共卫生相关性：拟议项目与公共卫生有关，因为它将为脊髓损伤（SCI）的个体开发神经假体的进展。在目前的研究中，其成功将导致在临床环境中实施供未来使用的神经假体实施。