Light-actuated Chemical Stimulator for Retinal Prosthesis Interface

用于视网膜假体接口的光驱动化学刺激器

基本信息

批准号：
9043098
负责人：
Sang-Woo Seo
金额：
$ 19.5万
依托单位：
CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
财政年份：
2015
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2015-04-01 至 2018-03-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9043098
关键词：
Age related macular degeneration American Area Biological Assay Blindness Brain Bypass Cells Cellular Structures Charge Chemical Stimulation Chemicals Clinical Complex Development Diffusion Disease Drug Delivery Systems Dyes Electric Stimulation Electrodes Engineering Evaluation Face Glutamates Goals Health Image Individual Lasers Light Liquid substance Measurement Measures Methods Nervous system structure Neurons Neurotransmitters Organ Patients Photoreceptors Power Sources Process Pump Research Resolution Retina Retinal Degeneration Retinitis Pigmentosa Signal Transduction Silicon Stimulus Structure Techniques Therapeutic Tissues Vision base computerized data processing frontier improved neural prosthesis neural stimulation novel optical fiber prevent relating to nervous system response retinal prosthesis signal processing time use transmission process two-dimensional

项目摘要

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): More than 12 million Americans are estimated to have retinal degenerative diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Unfortunately, due to no available therapeutic treatment for these diseases, many of patients are eventually suffering vision loss. Retinal prosthesis, which makes artificial neural interfaces to replace damaged neural path, is an only available option for these diseases. Neural prostheses based on electrical stimulation have been most widely used due to their simplicity. However, they face many hurdles when this method is applied to a large number of neural stimulation, which is required in retinal prostheses for high spatial resolution. An alternative approach based on the principle of stimulating the retina with neurotransmitter chemicals is introduced to potentially offer more advantages over the electrical stimulation approach. However, the concept is relatively new and necessary engineered means need to be developed to fully explore the feasibility of the chemical stimulation based approach. The goal of this research is to develop a novel light-activated chemical stimulator, which mimics natural function of photoreceptors in the retina. Thousands of fluidic channels can be activated directly and independently by natural light image without relying on external power source. This unique feature allows unprecedented high resolution neural interface without requiring complex electrical interfaces such as massive signal processing, electrical interconnections, power transmission, and etc. The successful demonstration of the novel light- activated chemical stimulator will represent a critical step towards neurotransmitter-based retinal prosthesis and significantly expand the frontiers of neurotransmitter-based stimulation approach for treating or bypassing damaged regions of nervous system organs.

描述（由申请人提供）：估计有超过 1200 万美国人患有视网膜退行性疾病，例如色素性视网膜炎 (RP) 和年龄相关性黄斑变性 (AMD) 不幸的是，由于没有针对这些疾病的治疗方法，许多人患有视网膜退行性疾病。的患者最终会遭受视力丧失，而人工神经接口可以替代受损的神经通路，因此基于电刺激的神经假体已得到最广泛的应用。然而，当这种方法应用于大量神经刺激时，他们面临许多障碍，而视网膜假体需要高空间分辨率。引入了一种基于用神经递质化学物质刺激视网膜原理的替代方法，与电刺激方法相比可能具有更多优势。然而，这个概念相对较新，需要开发必要的工程手段来充分探索化学物质的可行性。这项研究的目标是开发一种新型光激活化学刺激器，它可以模拟视网膜中光感受器的自然功能，无需依赖外部电源即可通过自然光图像直接独立激活。。这独特的功能允许前所未有的高分辨率神经接口，而不需要复杂的电气接口，如大规模信号处理、电气互连、电力传输等。新型光激活化学刺激器的成功演示将代表着朝着基于神经递质的视网膜假体迈出的关键一步并显着扩展基于神经递质的刺激方法的前沿，用于治疗或绕过神经系统器官的受损区域。