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Xu J, Mawase F, Schieber MH. Evolution, biomechanics, and neurobiology converge to explain selective finger motor control. Physiol Rev 2024; 104:983-1020. [PMID: 38385888 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00030.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Humans use their fingers to perform a variety of tasks, from simple grasping to manipulating objects, to typing and playing musical instruments, a variety wider than any other species. The more sophisticated the task, the more it involves individuated finger movements, those in which one or more selected fingers perform an intended action while the motion of other digits is constrained. Here we review the neurobiology of such individuated finger movements. We consider their evolutionary origins, the extent to which finger movements are in fact individuated, and the evolved features of neuromuscular control that both enable and limit individuation. We go on to discuss other features of motor control that combine with individuation to create dexterity, the impairment of individuation by disease, and the broad extent of capabilities that individuation confers on humans. We comment on the challenges facing the development of a truly dexterous bionic hand. We conclude by identifying topics for future investigation that will advance our understanding of how neural networks interact across multiple regions of the central nervous system to create individuated movements for the skills humans use to express their cognitive activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xu
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States
| | - Firas Mawase
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Marc H Schieber
- Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States
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2
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Herrera-Arcos G, Song H, Yeon SH, Ghenand O, Gutierrez-Arango S, Sinha S, Herr H. Closed-loop optogenetic neuromodulation enables high-fidelity fatigue-resistant muscle control. Sci Robot 2024; 9:eadi8995. [PMID: 38776378 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.adi8995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Closed-loop neuroprostheses show promise in restoring motion in individuals with neurological conditions. However, conventional activation strategies based on functional electrical stimulation (FES) fail to accurately modulate muscle force and exhibit rapid fatigue because of their unphysiological recruitment mechanism. Here, we present a closed-loop control framework that leverages physiological force modulation under functional optogenetic stimulation (FOS) to enable high-fidelity muscle control for extended periods of time (>60 minutes) in vivo. We first uncovered the force modulation characteristic of FOS, showing more physiological recruitment and significantly higher modulation ranges (>320%) compared with FES. Second, we developed a neuromuscular model that accurately describes the highly nonlinear dynamics of optogenetically stimulated muscle. Third, on the basis of the optogenetic model, we demonstrated real-time control of muscle force with improved performance and fatigue resistance compared with FES. This work lays the foundation for fatigue-resistant neuroprostheses and optogenetically controlled biohybrid robots with high-fidelity force modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Herrera-Arcos
- K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Program in Media Arts and Sciences, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hyungeun Song
- K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST), MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Seong Ho Yeon
- K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Program in Media Arts and Sciences, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Omkar Ghenand
- K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Samantha Gutierrez-Arango
- K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Program in Media Arts and Sciences, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sapna Sinha
- K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hugh Herr
- K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
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3
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Williams J. A guiding light for stimulating paralyzed muscles. Sci Robot 2024; 9:eado9987. [PMID: 38776376 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.ado9987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Improving the performance of closed-loop optogenetic nerve stimulation can reproduce desired muscle activation patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Williams
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, Marquette University and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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4
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Nolta NF, Christensen MB, Tresco PA. Advanced age is not a barrier to chronic intracortical single-unit recording in rat cortex. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1389556. [PMID: 38817909 PMCID: PMC11138162 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1389556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Available evidence suggests that as we age, our brain and immune system undergo changes that increase our susceptibility to injury, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. Since a significant portion of the potential patients treated with a microelectrode-based implant may be older, it is important to understand the recording performance of such devices in an aged population. Methods We studied the chronic recording performance and the foreign body response (FBR) to a clinically used microelectrode array implanted in the cortex of 18-month-old Sprague Dawley rats. Results and discussion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first preclinical study of its type in the older mammalian brain. Here, we show that single-unit recording performance was initially robust then gradually declined over a 12-week period, similar to what has been previously reported using younger adult rats and in clinical trials. In addition, we show that FBR biomarker distribution was similar to what has been previously described for younger adult rats implanted with multi-shank recording arrays in the motor cortex. Using a quantitative immunohistochemcal approach, we observed that the extent of astrogliosis and tissue loss near the recording zone was inversely related to recording performance. A comparison of recording performance with a younger cohort supports the notion that aging, in and of itself, is not a limiting factor for the clinical use of penetrating microelectrode recording arrays for the treatment of certain CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas F. Nolta
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Michael B. Christensen
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Patrick A. Tresco
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
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5
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Kelly AR, Glover DJ. Information Transmission through Biotic-Abiotic Interfaces to Restore or Enhance Human Function. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024. [PMID: 38729914 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.4c00435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Advancements in reliable information transfer across biotic-abiotic interfaces have enabled the restoration of lost human function. For example, communication between neuronal cells and electrical devices restores the ability to walk to a tetraplegic patient and vision to patients blinded by retinal disease. These impactful medical achievements are aided by tailored biotic-abiotic interfaces that maximize information transfer fidelity by considering the physical properties of the underlying biological and synthetic components. This Review develops a modular framework to define and describe the engineering of biotic and abiotic components as well as the design of interfaces to facilitate biotic-abiotic information transfer using light or electricity. Delineating the properties of the biotic, interface, and abiotic components that enable communication can serve as a guide for future research in this highly interdisciplinary field. Application of synthetic biology to engineer light-sensitive proteins has facilitated the control of neural signaling and the restoration of rudimentary vision after retinal blindness. Electrophysiological methodologies that use brain-computer interfaces and stimulating implants to bypass spinal column injuries have led to the rehabilitation of limb movement and walking ability. Cellular interfacing methodologies and on-chip learning capability have been made possible by organic transistors that mimic the information processing capacity of neurons. The collaboration of molecular biologists, material scientists, and electrical engineers in the emerging field of biotic-abiotic interfacing will lead to the development of prosthetics capable of responding to thought and experiencing touch sensation via direct integration into the human nervous system. Further interdisciplinary research will improve electrical and optical interfacing technologies for the restoration of vision, offering greater visual acuity and potentially color vision in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander R Kelly
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Dominic J Glover
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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6
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Tankus A, Rosenberg N, Ben-Hamo O, Stern E, Strauss I. Machine learning decoding of single neurons in the thalamus for speech brain-machine interfaces. J Neural Eng 2024; 21:036009. [PMID: 38648783 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ad4179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Objective. Our goal is to decode firing patterns of single neurons in the left ventralis intermediate nucleus (Vim) of the thalamus, related to speech production, perception, and imagery. For realistic speech brain-machine interfaces (BMIs), we aim to characterize the amount of thalamic neurons necessary for high accuracy decoding.Approach. We intraoperatively recorded single neuron activity in the left Vim of eight neurosurgical patients undergoing implantation of deep brain stimulator or RF lesioning during production, perception and imagery of the five monophthongal vowel sounds. We utilized the Spade decoder, a machine learning algorithm that dynamically learns specific features of firing patterns and is based on sparse decomposition of the high dimensional feature space.Main results. Spade outperformed all algorithms compared with, for all three aspects of speech: production, perception and imagery, and obtained accuracies of 100%, 96%, and 92%, respectively (chance level: 20%) based on pooling together neurons across all patients. The accuracy was logarithmic in the amount of neurons for all three aspects of speech. Regardless of the amount of units employed, production gained highest accuracies, whereas perception and imagery equated with each other.Significance. Our research renders single neuron activity in the left Vim a promising source of inputs to BMIs for restoration of speech faculties for locked-in patients or patients with anarthria or dysarthria to allow them to communicate again. Our characterization of how many neurons are necessary to achieve a certain decoding accuracy is of utmost importance for planning BMI implantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Tankus
- Functional Neurosurgery Unit, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Noam Rosenberg
- School of Electrical Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Oz Ben-Hamo
- School of Electrical Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Einat Stern
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Ido Strauss
- Functional Neurosurgery Unit, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
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7
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Vakilipour P, Fekrvand S. Brain-to-brain interface technology: A brief history, current state, and future goals. Int J Dev Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 38711277 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
A brain-to-brain interface (BBI), defined as a combination of neuroimaging and neurostimulation methods to extract and deliver information between brains directly without the need for the peripheral nervous system, is a budding communication technique. A BBI system is made up of two parts known as the brain-computer interface part, which reads a sender's brain activity and digitalizes it, and the computer-brain interface part, which writes the delivered brain activity to a receiving brain. As with other technologies, BBI systems have gone through an evolutionary process since they first appeared. The BBI systems have been employed for numerous purposes, including rehabilitation for post-stroke patients, communicating with patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, locked-in syndrome and speech problems following stroke. Also, it has been proposed that a BBI system could play an important role on future battlefields. This technology was not only employed for communicating between two human brains but also for making a direct communication path among different species through which motor or sensory commands could be sent and received. However, the application of BBI systems has provoked significant challenges to human rights principles due to their ability to access and manipulate human brain information. In this study, we aimed to review the brain-computer interface and computer-brain interface technologies as components of BBI systems, the development of BBI systems, applications of this technology, arising ethical issues and expectations for future use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pouya Vakilipour
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Saba Fekrvand
- Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
- Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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8
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Song SS, Druschel LN, Conard JH, Wang JJ, Kasthuri NM, Ricky Chan E, Capadona JR. Depletion of complement factor 3 delays the neuroinflammatory response to intracortical microelectrodes. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 118:221-235. [PMID: 38458498 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The neuroinflammatory response to intracortical microelectrodes (IMEs) used with brain-machine interfacing (BMI) applications is regarded as the primary contributor to poor chronic performance. Recent developments in high-plex gene expression technologies have allowed for an evolution in the investigation of individual proteins or genes to be able to identify specific pathways of upregulated genes that may contribute to the neuroinflammatory response. Several key pathways that are upregulated following IME implantation are involved with the complement system. The complement system is part of the innate immune system involved in recognizing and eliminating pathogens - a significant contributor to the foreign body response against biomaterials. Specifically, we have identified Complement 3 (C3) as a gene of interest because it is the intersection of several key complement pathways. In this study, we investigated the role of C3 in the IME inflammatory response by comparing the neuroinflammatory gene expression at the microelectrode implant site between C3 knockout (C3-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice. We have found that, like in WT mice, implantation of intracortical microelectrodes in C3-/- mice yields a dramatic increase in the neuroinflammatory gene expression at all post-surgery time points investigated. However, compared to WT mice, C3 depletion showed reduced expression of many neuroinflammatory genes pre-surgery and 4 weeks post-surgery. Conversely, depletion of C3 increased the expression of many neuroinflammatory genes at 8 weeks and 16 weeks post-surgery, compared to WT mice. Our results suggest that C3 depletion may be a promising therapeutic target for acute, but not chronic, relief of the neuroinflammatory response to IME implantation. Additional compensatory targets may also be required for comprehensive long-term reduction of the neuroinflammatory response for improved intracortical microelectrode performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney S Song
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States; Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States.
| | - Lindsey N Druschel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States; Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States.
| | - Jacob H Conard
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States.
| | - Jaime J Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States; Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States.
| | - Niveda M Kasthuri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States; Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States.
| | - E Ricky Chan
- Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States.
| | - Jeffrey R Capadona
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States; Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States.
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9
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Javeed S, Zhang JK, Greenberg JK, Botterbush K, Benedict B, Plog B, Gupta VP, Dibble CF, Khalifeh JM, Wen H, Chen Y, Park Y, Belzberg A, Tuffaha S, Burks SS, Levi AD, Zager EL, Faraji AH, Mahan MA, Midha R, Wilson TJ, Juknis N, Ray WZ. Impact of Upper Limb Motor Recovery on Functional Independence After Traumatic Low Cervical Spinal Cord Injury. J Neurotrauma 2024; 41:1211-1222. [PMID: 38062795 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2023.0140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) causes devastating loss of upper limb function and independence. Restoration of upper limb function can have a profound impact on independence and quality of life. In low-cervical SCI (level C5-C8), upper limb function can be restored via reinnervation strategies such as nerve transfer surgery. The translation of recovered upper limb motor function into functional independence in activities of daily living (ADLs), however, remains unknown in low cervical SCI (i.e., tetraplegia). The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of patterns in upper limb motor recovery with functional independence in ADLs. This will then inform prioritization of reinnervation strategies focused to maximize function in patients with tetraplegia. This retrospective study performed a secondary analysis of patients with low cervical (C5-C8) enrolled in the SCI Model Systems (SCIMS) database. Baseline neurological examinations and their association with functional independence in major ADLs-i.e., eating, bladder management, and transfers (bed/wheelchair/chair)-were evaluated. Motor functional recovery was defined as achieving motor strength, in modified research council (MRC) grade, of ≥ 3 /5 at one year from ≤ 2/5 at baseline. The association of motor function recovery with functional independence at one-year follow-up was compared in patients with recovered elbow flexion (C5), wrist extension (C6), elbow extension (C7), and finger flexion (C8). A multi-variable logistic regression analysis, adjusting for known factors influencing recovery after SCI, was performed to evaluate the impact of motor function at one year on a composite outcome of functional independence in major ADLs. Composite outcome was defined as functional independence measure score of 6 or higher (complete independence) in at least two domains among eating, bladder management, and transfers. Between 1992 and 2016, 1090 patients with low cervical SCI and complete neurological/functional measures were included. At baseline, 67% of patients had complete SCI and 33% had incomplete SCI. The majority of patients were dependent in eating, bladder management, and transfers. At one-year follow-up, the largest proportion of patients who recovered motor function in finger flexion (C8) and elbow extension (C7) gained independence in eating, bladder management, and transfers. In multi-variable analysis, patients who had recovered finger flexion (C8) or elbow extension (C7) had higher odds of gaining independence in a composite of major ADLs (odds ratio [OR] = 3.13 and OR = 2.87, respectively, p < 0.001). Age 60 years (OR = 0.44, p = 0.01), and complete SCI (OR = 0.43, p = 0.002) were associated with reduced odds of gaining independence in ADLs. After cervical SCI, finger flexion (C8) and elbow extension (C7) recovery translate into greater independence in eating, bladder management, and transfers. These results can be used to design individualized reinnervation plans to reanimate upper limb function and maximize independence in patients with low cervical SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saad Javeed
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Justin K Zhang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Jacob K Greenberg
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kathleen Botterbush
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Braeden Benedict
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Benjamin Plog
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Vivek P Gupta
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Christopher F Dibble
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jawad M Khalifeh
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Huacong Wen
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Yuying Chen
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Yikyung Park
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Allan Belzberg
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sami Tuffaha
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Stephen Shelby Burks
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Allan D Levi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Eric L Zager
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Amir H Faraji
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Mark A Mahan
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Rajiv Midha
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Thomas J Wilson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Neringa Juknis
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Wilson Z Ray
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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10
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Downey JE, Schone HR, Foldes ST, Greenspon C, Liu F, Verbaarschot C, Biro D, Satzer D, Moon CH, Coffman BA, Youssofzadeh V, Fields D, Hobbs TG, Okorokova E, Tyler-Kabara EC, Warnke PC, Gonzalez-Martinez J, Hatsopoulos NG, Bensmaia SJ, Boninger ML, Gaunt RA, Collinger JL. A roadmap for implanting microelectrode arrays to evoke tactile sensations through intracortical microstimulation. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.04.26.24306239. [PMID: 38712177 PMCID: PMC11071570 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.26.24306239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) is a method for restoring sensation to people with paralysis as part of a bidirectional brain-computer interface to restore upper limb function. Evoking tactile sensations of the hand through ICMS requires precise targeting of implanted electrodes. Here we describe the presurgical imaging procedures used to generate functional maps of the hand area of the somatosensory cortex and subsequent planning that guided the implantation of intracortical microelectrode arrays. In five participants with cervical spinal cord injury, across two study locations, this procedure successfully enabled ICMS-evoked sensations localized to at least the first four digits of the hand. The imaging and planning procedures developed through this clinical trial provide a roadmap for other brain-computer interface studies to ensure successful placement of stimulation electrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E Downey
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Hunter R Schone
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Stephen T Foldes
- Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ
| | - Charles Greenspon
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Fang Liu
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Ceci Verbaarschot
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Daniel Biro
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - David Satzer
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Chan Hong Moon
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Brian A Coffman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | | | - Daryl Fields
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Taylor G Hobbs
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Elizaveta Okorokova
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | | | - Peter C Warnke
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | | | - Nicholas G Hatsopoulos
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
- Committee on Computation Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Sliman J Bensmaia
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
- Committee on Computation Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Michael L Boninger
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Robert A Gaunt
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Jennifer L Collinger
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
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11
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Sawyer A, Cooke L, Ramsey NF, Putrino D. The digital motor output: a conceptual framework for a meaningful clinical performance metric for a motor neuroprosthesis. J Neurointerv Surg 2024; 16:443-446. [PMID: 37524520 DOI: 10.1136/jnis-2023-020316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the majority of the population has become increasingly reliant on continuous and independent control of smart devices to conduct activities of daily living. Upper extremity movement is typically required to generate the motor outputs that control these interfaces, such as rapidly and accurately navigating and clicking a mouse, or activating a touch screen. For people living with tetraplegia, these abilities are lost, significantly compromising their ability to interact with their environment. Implantable brain computer interfaces (BCIs) hold promise for restoring lost neurologic function, including motor neuroprostheses (MNPs). An implantable MNP can directly infer motor intent by detecting brain signals and transmitting the motor signal out of the brain to generate a motor output and subsequently control computer actions. This physiological function is typically performed by the motor neurons in the human body. To evaluate the use of these implanted technologies, there is a need for an objective measurement of the effectiveness of MNPs in restoring motor outputs. Here, we propose the concept of digital motor outputs (DMOs) to address this: a motor output decoded directly from a neural recording during an attempted limb or orofacial movement is transformed into a command that controls an electronic device. Digital motor outputs are diverse and can be categorized as discrete or continuous representations of motor control, and the clinical utility of the control of a single, discrete DMO has been reported in multiple studies. This sets the stage for the DMO to emerge as a quantitative measure of MNP performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbey Sawyer
- Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lily Cooke
- Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nick F Ramsey
- Neurology and Neurosurgery, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - David Putrino
- Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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12
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Ali YH, Bodkin K, Rigotti-Thompson M, Patel K, Card NS, Bhaduri B, Nason-Tomaszewski SR, Mifsud DM, Hou X, Nicolas C, Allcroft S, Hochberg LR, Au Yong N, Stavisky SD, Miller LE, Brandman DM, Pandarinath C. BRAND: a platform for closed-loop experiments with deep network models. J Neural Eng 2024; 21:026046. [PMID: 38579696 PMCID: PMC11021878 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ad3b3a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Objective.Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are state-of-the-art tools for modeling and decoding neural activity, but deploying them in closed-loop experiments with tight timing constraints is challenging due to their limited support in existing real-time frameworks. Researchers need a platform that fully supports high-level languages for running ANNs (e.g. Python and Julia) while maintaining support for languages that are critical for low-latency data acquisition and processing (e.g. C and C++).Approach.To address these needs, we introduce the Backend for Realtime Asynchronous Neural Decoding (BRAND). BRAND comprises Linux processes, termednodes, which communicate with each other in agraphvia streams of data. Its asynchronous design allows for acquisition, control, and analysis to be executed in parallel on streams of data that may operate at different timescales. BRAND uses Redis, an in-memory database, to send data between nodes, which enables fast inter-process communication and supports 54 different programming languages. Thus, developers can easily deploy existing ANN models in BRAND with minimal implementation changes.Main results.In our tests, BRAND achieved <600 microsecond latency between processes when sending large quantities of data (1024 channels of 30 kHz neural data in 1 ms chunks). BRAND runs a brain-computer interface with a recurrent neural network (RNN) decoder with less than 8 ms of latency from neural data input to decoder prediction. In a real-world demonstration of the system, participant T11 in the BrainGate2 clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00912041) performed a standard cursor control task, in which 30 kHz signal processing, RNN decoding, task control, and graphics were all executed in BRAND. This system also supports real-time inference with complex latent variable models like Latent Factor Analysis via Dynamical Systems.Significance.By providing a framework that is fast, modular, and language-agnostic, BRAND lowers the barriers to integrating the latest tools in neuroscience and machine learning into closed-loop experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahia H Ali
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Kevin Bodkin
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Mattia Rigotti-Thompson
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Kushant Patel
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - Nicholas S Card
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - Bareesh Bhaduri
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Samuel R Nason-Tomaszewski
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Domenick M Mifsud
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Xianda Hou
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - Claire Nicolas
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Shane Allcroft
- School of Engineering and Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Leigh R Hochberg
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
- School of Engineering and Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research & Development Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Au Yong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Sergey D Stavisky
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - Lee E Miller
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - David M Brandman
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - Chethan Pandarinath
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Department of Neurosurgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
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13
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Wolf M, Rupp R, Schwarz A. Decoding of unimanual and bimanual reach-and-grasp actions from EMG and IMU signals in persons with cervical spinal cord injury. J Neural Eng 2024; 21:026042. [PMID: 38471169 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ad331f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Objective. Chronic motor impairments of arms and hands as the consequence of a cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) have a tremendous impact on activities of daily life. A considerable number of people however retain minimal voluntary motor control in the paralyzed parts of the upper limbs that are measurable by electromyography (EMG) and inertial measurement units (IMUs). An integration into human-machine interfaces (HMIs) holds promise for reliable grasp intent detection and intuitive assistive device control.Approach. We used a multimodal HMI incorporating EMG and IMU data to decode reach-and-grasp movements of groups of persons with cervical SCI (n = 4) and without (control, n = 13). A post-hoc evaluation of control group data aimed to identify optimal parameters for online, co-adaptive closed-loop HMI sessions with persons with cervical SCI. We compared the performance of real-time, Random Forest-based movement versus rest (2 classes) and grasp type predictors (3 classes) with respect to their co-adaptation and evaluated the underlying feature importance maps.Main results. Our multimodal approach enabled grasp decoding significantly better than EMG or IMU data alone (p<0.05). We found the 0.25 s directly prior to the first touch of an object to hold the most discriminative information. Our HMIs correctly predicted 79.3 ± STD 7.4 (102.7 ± STD 2.3 control group) out of 105 trials with grand average movement vs. rest prediction accuracies above 99.64% (100% sensitivity) and grasp prediction accuracies of 75.39 ± STD 13.77% (97.66 ± STD 5.48% control group). Co-adaption led to higher prediction accuracies with time, and we could identify adaptions in feature importances unique to each participant with cervical SCI.Significance. Our findings foster the development of multimodal and adaptive HMIs to allow persons with cervical SCI the intuitive control of assistive devices to improve personal independence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marvin Wolf
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Schlierbacher Landstraße 200a, Heidelberg 69118, Baden-Württenberg, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Rupp
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Schlierbacher Landstraße 200a, Heidelberg 69118, Baden-Württenberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Schwarz
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Schlierbacher Landstraße 200a, Heidelberg 69118, Baden-Württenberg, Germany
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Liu X, Gong Y, Jiang Z, Stevens T, Li W. Flexible high-density microelectrode arrays for closed-loop brain-machine interfaces: a review. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1348434. [PMID: 38686330 PMCID: PMC11057246 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1348434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Flexible high-density microelectrode arrays (HDMEAs) are emerging as a key component in closed-loop brain-machine interfaces (BMIs), providing high-resolution functionality for recording, stimulation, or both. The flexibility of these arrays provides advantages over rigid ones, such as reduced mismatch between interface and tissue, resilience to micromotion, and sustained long-term performance. This review summarizes the recent developments and applications of flexible HDMEAs in closed-loop BMI systems. It delves into the various challenges encountered in the development of ideal flexible HDMEAs for closed-loop BMI systems and highlights the latest methodologies and breakthroughs to address these challenges. These insights could be instrumental in guiding the creation of future generations of flexible HDMEAs, specifically tailored for use in closed-loop BMIs. The review thoroughly explores both the current state and prospects of these advanced arrays, emphasizing their potential in enhancing BMI technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Liu
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ), East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Yan Gong
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ), East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Zebin Jiang
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ), East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Trevor Stevens
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Wen Li
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ), East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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15
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Tao G, Yang S, Xu J, Wang L, Yang B. Global research trends and hotspots of artificial intelligence research in spinal cord neural injury and restoration-a bibliometrics and visualization analysis. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1361235. [PMID: 38628700 PMCID: PMC11018935 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1361235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has made breakthroughs in spinal cord neural injury and restoration in recent years. It has a positive impact on clinical treatment. This study explores AI research's progress and hotspots in spinal cord neural injury and restoration. It also analyzes research shortcomings related to this area and proposes potential solutions. Methods We used CiteSpace 6.1.R6 and VOSviewer 1.6.19 to research WOS articles on AI research in spinal cord neural injury and restoration. Results A total of 1,502 articles were screened, in which the United States dominated; Kadone, Hideki (13 articles, University of Tsukuba, JAPAN) was the author with the highest number of publications; ARCH PHYS MED REHAB (IF = 4.3) was the most cited journal, and topics included molecular biology, immunology, neurology, sports, among other related areas. Conclusion We pinpointed three research hotspots for AI research in spinal cord neural injury and restoration: (1) intelligent robots and limb exoskeletons to assist rehabilitation training; (2) brain-computer interfaces; and (3) neuromodulation and noninvasive electrical stimulation. In addition, many new hotspots were discussed: (1) starting with image segmentation models based on convolutional neural networks; (2) the use of AI to fabricate polymeric biomaterials to provide the microenvironment required for neural stem cell-derived neural network tissues; (3) AI survival prediction tools, and transcription factor regulatory networks in the field of genetics were discussed. Although AI research in spinal cord neural injury and restoration has many benefits, the technology has several limitations (data and ethical issues). The data-gathering problem should be addressed in future research, which requires a significant sample of quality clinical data to build valid AI models. At the same time, research on genomics and other mechanisms in this field is fragile. In the future, machine learning techniques, such as AI survival prediction tools and transcription factor regulatory networks, can be utilized for studies related to the up-regulation of regeneration-related genes and the production of structural proteins for axonal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyi Tao
- College of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shun Yang
- Department of Pain, Henan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine/The Second Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Junjie Xu
- College of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Linzi Wang
- College of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Bin Yang
- Department of Pain, Henan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine/The Second Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
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16
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Sporer M, Vasilas IG, Adzemovic A, Graber N, Reich S, Gueli C, Eickenscheidt M, Diester I, Stieglitz T, Ortmanns M. NeuroBus - Architecture for an Ultra-Flexible Neural Interface. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS 2024; 18:247-262. [PMID: 38227403 DOI: 10.1109/tbcas.2024.3354785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
This article presents the system architecture for an implant concept called NeuroBus. Tiny distributed direct digitizing neural recorder ASICs on an ultra-flexible polyimide substrate are connected in a bus-like structure, allowing short connections between electrode and recording front-end with low wiring effort and high customizability. The small size (344 μm × 294 μm) of the ASICs and the ultraflexible substrate allow a low bending stiffness, enabling the implant to adapt to the curvature of the brain and achieving high structural biocompatibility. We introduce the architecture, the integrated building blocks, and the post-CMOS processes required to realize a NeuroBus, and we characterize the prototyped direct digitizing neural recorder front-end as well as polyimide-based ECoG brain interface. A rodent animal model is further used to validate the joint capability of the recording front-end and thin-film electrode array.
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17
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Herring EZ, Graczyk EL, Memberg WD, Adams R, Fernandez Baca-Vaca G, Hutchison BC, Krall JT, Alexander BJ, Conlan EC, Alfaro KE, Bhat P, Ketting-Olivier AB, Haddix CA, Taylor DM, Tyler DJ, Sweet JA, Kirsch RF, Ajiboye AB, Miller JP. Reconnecting the Hand and Arm to the Brain: Efficacy of Neural Interfaces for Sensorimotor Restoration After Tetraplegia. Neurosurgery 2024; 94:864-874. [PMID: 37982637 DOI: 10.1227/neu.0000000000002769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Paralysis after spinal cord injury involves damage to pathways that connect neurons in the brain to peripheral nerves in the limbs. Re-establishing this communication using neural interfaces has the potential to bridge the gap and restore upper extremity function to people with high tetraplegia. We report a novel approach for restoring upper extremity function using selective peripheral nerve stimulation controlled by intracortical microelectrode recordings from sensorimotor networks, along with restoration of tactile sensation of the hand using intracortical microstimulation. METHODS A 27-year-old right-handed man with AIS-B (motor-complete, sensory-incomplete) C3-C4 tetraplegia was enrolled into the clinical trial. Six 64-channel intracortical microelectrode arrays were implanted into left hemisphere regions involved in upper extremity function, including primary motor and sensory cortices, inferior frontal gyrus, and anterior intraparietal area. Nine 16-channel extraneural peripheral nerve electrodes were implanted to allow targeted stimulation of right median, ulnar (2), radial, axillary, musculocutaneous, suprascapular, lateral pectoral, and long thoracic nerves, to produce selective muscle contractions on demand. Proof-of-concept studies were performed to demonstrate feasibility of using a brain-machine interface to read from and write to the brain for restoring motor and sensory functions of the participant's own arm and hand. RESULTS Multiunit neural activity that correlated with intended motor action was successfully recorded from intracortical arrays. Microstimulation of electrodes in somatosensory cortex produced repeatable sensory percepts of individual fingers for restoration of touch sensation. Selective electrical activation of peripheral nerves produced antigravity muscle contractions, resulting in functional movements that the participant was able to command under brain control to perform virtual and actual arm and hand movements. The system was well tolerated with no operative complications. CONCLUSION The combination of implanted cortical electrodes and nerve cuff electrodes has the potential to create bidirectional restoration of motor and sensory functions of the arm and hand after neurological injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Z Herring
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Neurological Institute, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Emily L Graczyk
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - William D Memberg
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Robert Adams
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Neurological Institute, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Gaudalupe Fernandez Baca-Vaca
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Neurological Institute, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Brianna C Hutchison
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - John T Krall
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Benjamin J Alexander
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Emily C Conlan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Kenya E Alfaro
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Preethisiri Bhat
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Aaron B Ketting-Olivier
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Chase A Haddix
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Neuroscience, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Dawn M Taylor
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Neuroscience, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Dustin J Tyler
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Jennifer A Sweet
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Neurological Institute, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Robert F Kirsch
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - A Bolu Ajiboye
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Jonathan P Miller
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Neurological Institute, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
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Saway BF, Palmer C, Hughes C, Triano M, Suresh RE, Gilmore J, George M, Kautz SA, Rowland NC. The evolution of neuromodulation for chronic stroke: From neuroplasticity mechanisms to brain-computer interfaces. Neurotherapeutics 2024; 21:e00337. [PMID: 38377638 PMCID: PMC11103214 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurot.2024.e00337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Stroke is one of the most common and debilitating neurological conditions worldwide. Those who survive experience motor, sensory, speech, vision, and/or cognitive deficits that severely limit remaining quality of life. While rehabilitation programs can help improve patients' symptoms, recovery is often limited, and patients frequently continue to experience impairments in functional status. In this review, invasive neuromodulation techniques to augment the effects of conventional rehabilitation methods are described, including vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), deep brain stimulation (DBS) and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). In addition, the evidence base for each of these techniques, pivotal trials, and future directions are explored. Finally, emerging technologies such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and the shift to artificial intelligence-enabled implants and wearables are examined. While the field of implantable devices for chronic stroke recovery is still in a nascent stage, the data reviewed are suggestive of immense potential for reducing the impact and impairment from this globally prevalent disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian F Saway
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425, USA.
| | - Charles Palmer
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425, USA
| | - Christopher Hughes
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Matthew Triano
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425, USA
| | - Rishishankar E Suresh
- College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Jordon Gilmore
- Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Mark George
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425, USA; Ralph H Johnson VA Health Care System, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Steven A Kautz
- Department of Health Science and Research, Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425, USA; Ralph H Johnson VA Health Care System, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Nathan C Rowland
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425, USA; MUSC Institute for Neuroscience Discovery (MIND), Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425, USA
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Losanno E, Badi M, Roussinova E, Bogaard A, Delacombaz M, Shokur S, Micera S. An Investigation of Manifold-Based Direct Control for a Brain-to-Body Neural Bypass. IEEE OPEN JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 5:271-280. [PMID: 38766541 PMCID: PMC11100864 DOI: 10.1109/ojemb.2024.3381475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective: Brain-body interfaces (BBIs) have emerged as a very promising solution for restoring voluntary hand control in people with upper-limb paralysis. The BBI module decoding motor commands from brain signals should provide the user with intuitive, accurate, and stable control. Here, we present a preliminary investigation in a monkey of a brain decoding strategy based on the direct coupling between the activity of intrinsic neural ensembles and output variables, aiming at achieving ease of learning and long-term robustness. Results: We identified an intrinsic low-dimensional space (called manifold) capturing the co-variation patterns of the monkey's neural activity associated to reach-to-grasp movements. We then tested the animal's ability to directly control a computer cursor using cortical activation along the manifold axes. By daily recalibrating only scaling factors, we achieved rapid learning and stable high performance in simple, incremental 2D tasks over more than 12 weeks of experiments. Finally, we showed that this brain decoding strategy can be effectively coupled to peripheral nerve stimulation to trigger voluntary hand movements. Conclusions: These results represent a proof of concept of manifold-based direct control for BBI applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Losanno
- The Biorobotics Institute and Department of Excellence in Robotics and AIScuola Superiore Sant'Anna56025PisaItaly
- Modular Implantable Neuroprostheses (MINE) LaboratoryUniversità Vita-Salute San Raffaele and Scuola Superiore Sant'AnnaMilanItaly
| | - M. Badi
- Bertarelli Foundation Chair in Translational Neuroengineering, Center for Neuroprosthetics and Institute of BioengineeringÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)1015LausanneSwitzerland
| | - E. Roussinova
- Bertarelli Foundation Chair in Translational Neuroengineering, Center for Neuroprosthetics and Institute of BioengineeringÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)1015LausanneSwitzerland
| | - A. Bogaard
- Department of Neuroscience and Movement Sciences, Platform of Translational Neurosciences, Section of Medicine, Faculty of Sciences and MedicineUniversity of Fribourg1700FribourgSwitzerland
| | - M. Delacombaz
- Department of Neuroscience and Movement Sciences, Platform of Translational Neurosciences, Section of Medicine, Faculty of Sciences and MedicineUniversity of Fribourg1700FribourgSwitzerland
| | - S. Shokur
- Bertarelli Foundation Chair in Translational Neuroengineering, Center for Neuroprosthetics and Institute of BioengineeringÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)1015LausanneSwitzerland
| | - S. Micera
- The Biorobotics Institute and Department of Excellence in Robotics and AIScuola Superiore Sant'Anna56025PisaItaly
- Modular Implantable Neuroprostheses (MINE) LaboratoryUniversità Vita-Salute San Raffaele and Scuola Superiore Sant'AnnaMilanItaly
- Bertarelli Foundation Chair in Translational Neuroengineering, Center for Neuroprosthetics and Institute of BioengineeringÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)1015LausanneSwitzerland
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Wang A, Tian X, Jiang D, Yang C, Xu Q, Zhang Y, Zhao S, Zhang X, Jing J, Wei N, Wu Y, Lv W, Yang B, Zang D, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Meng X. Rehabilitation with brain-computer interface and upper limb motor function in ischemic stroke: A randomized controlled trial. MED 2024:S2666-6340(24)00086-2. [PMID: 38642555 DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2024.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Upper limb motor dysfunction is a major problem in the rehabilitation of patients with stroke. Brain-computer interface (BCI) is a kind of communication system that converts the "ideas" in the brain into instructions and has been used in stroke rehabilitation. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of BCI in rehabilitation training on upper limb motor function among patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS This was an investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized, open-label, blank-controlled clinical trial with blinded outcome assessment conducted at 17 centers in China. Patients were assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the BCI group or the control group based on traditional rehabilitation training. The primary efficacy outcome is the difference in improvement of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment upper extremity (FMA-UE) score between two groups at month 1 after randomization. The safety outcomes were any adverse events within 3 months. FINDINGS A total of 296 patients with ischemic stroke were enrolled and randomly allocated to the BCI group (n = 150) and the control group (n = 146). The primary efficacy outcomes of FMA-UE score change from baseline to 1 month were 13.17 (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.56-14.79) in the BCI group and 9.83 (95% CI, 8.19-11.47) in the control group (mean difference between groups was 3.35; 95% CI, 1.05-5.65; p = 0.0045). Adverse events occurred in 33 patients (22.00%) in the BCI group and in 31 patients (21.23%) in the control group. CONCLUSIONS BCI rehabilitation training can further improve upper limb motor function based on traditional rehabilitation training in patients with ischemic stroke. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04387474. FUNDING This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFC1312903), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFC3600600), the Training Fund for Open Projects at Clinical Institutes and Departments of Capital Medical University (CCMU2022ZKYXZ009), the Beijing Natural Science Foundation Haidian original innovation joint fund (L222123), the Fund for Young Talents of Beijing Medical Management Center (QML20230505), and the high-level public health talents (xuekegugan-02-47).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anxin Wang
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Tian
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Beijing, China; Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Di Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chengyuan Yang
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Qin Xu
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yifei Zhang
- Research and Development Center, Shandong Haitian Intelligent Engineering Co., Ltd., Shandong, China
| | - Shaoqing Zhao
- School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Xiaoli Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Jing
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Wei
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqian Wu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Lv
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Banghua Yang
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Research Center of Brain Computer Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dawei Zang
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yilong Wang
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yumei Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yongjun Wang
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xia Meng
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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21
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Song S, Druschel L, Kasthuri N, Wang J, Conard J, Chan E, Acharya A, Capadona J. Comprehensive Proteomic Analysis of the Differential Expression of 83 Proteins Following Intracortical Microelectrode Implantation. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4039586. [PMID: 38559066 PMCID: PMC10980140 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4039586/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Intracortical microelectrodes (IMEs) are devices designed to be implanted into the cerebral cortex for various neuroscience and neuro-engineering applications. A critical feature of these devices is their ability to detect neural activity from individual neurons. Currently, IMEs are limited by chronic failure, largely considered to be caused by the prolonged neuroinflammatory response to the implanted devices. Over the decades, characterization of the neuroinflammatory response has grown in sophistication, with the most recent advances including advanced genomics and spatially resolved transcriptomics. While gene expression studies increase our broad understanding of the relationship between IMEs and cortical tissue, advanced proteomic techniques have not been reported. Proteomic evaluation is necessary to describe the diverse changes in protein expression specific to neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, or tissue and cellular viability, which could lead to the development of more targeted intervention strategies designed to improve IME function. In this study, we have characterized the expression of 83 proteins within 180 μm of the IME implant site at 4-, 8-, and 16-weeks post-implantation. We identified potential targets for immunotherapies, as well as key pathways and functions that contribute to neuronal dieback around the IME implant.
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22
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Capadona J, Hoeferlin G, Grabinski S, Druschel L, Duncan J, Burkhart G, Weagraff G, Lee A, Hong C, Bambroo M, Olivares H, Bajwa T, Memberg W, Sweet J, Hamedani HA, Acharya A, Hernandez-Reynoso A, Donskey C, Jaskiw G, Chan R, Ajiboye A, von Recum H, Zhang L. Bacteria Invade the Brain Following Sterile Intracortical Microelectrode Implantation. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3980065. [PMID: 38496527 PMCID: PMC10942555 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3980065/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Brain-machine interface performance is largely affected by the neuroinflammatory responses resulting in large part from blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage following intracortical microelectrode implantation. Recent findings strongly suggest that certain gut bacterial constituents penetrate the BBB and are resident in various brain regions of rodents and humans, both in health and disease. Therefore, we hypothesized that damage to the BBB caused by microelectrode implantation could amplify dysregulation of the microbiome-gut-brain axis. Here, we report that bacteria, including those commonly found in the gut, enter the brain following intracortical microelectrode implantation in mice implanted with single-shank silicon microelectrodes. Systemic antibiotic treatment of mice implanted with microelectrodes to suppress bacteria resulted in differential expression of bacteria in the brain tissue and a reduced acute inflammatory response compared to untreated controls, correlating with temporary improvements in microelectrode recording performance. Long-term antibiotic treatment resulted in worsening microelectrode recording performance and dysregulation of neurodegenerative pathways. Fecal microbiome composition was similar between implanted mice and an implanted human, suggesting translational findings. However, a significant portion of invading bacteria was not resident in the brain or gut. Together, the current study established a paradigm-shifting mechanism that may contribute to chronic intracortical microelectrode recording performance and affect overall brain health following intracortical microelectrode implantation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ricky Chan
- Institute for Computational Biology, Case Western Reserve University
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23
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Jagrit V, Koffler J, Dulin JN. Combinatorial strategies for cell transplantation in traumatic spinal cord injury. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1349446. [PMID: 38510468 PMCID: PMC10951004 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1349446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) substantially reduces the quality of life of affected individuals. Recovery of function is therefore a primary concern of the patient population and a primary goal for therapeutic interventions. Currently, even with growing numbers of clinical trials, there are still no effective treatments that can improve neurological outcomes after SCI. A large body of work has demonstrated that transplantation of neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) can promote regeneration of the injured spinal cord by providing new neurons that can integrate into injured host neural circuitry. Despite these promising findings, the degree of functional recovery observed after NSPC transplantation remains modest. It is evident that treatment of such a complex injury cannot be addressed with a single therapeutic approach. In this mini-review, we discuss combinatorial strategies that can be used along with NSPC transplantation to promote spinal cord regeneration. We begin by introducing bioengineering and neuromodulatory approaches, and highlight promising work using these strategies in integration with NSPCs transplantation. The future of NSPC transplantation will likely include a multi-factorial approach, combining stem cells with biomaterials and/or neuromodulation as a promising treatment for SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vipin Jagrit
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Jacob Koffler
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Jennifer N. Dulin
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
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24
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Temmar H, Willsey MS, Costello JT, Mender MJ, Cubillos LH, Lam JL, Wallace DM, Kelberman MM, Patil PG, Chestek CA. Artificial neural network for brain-machine interface consistently produces more naturalistic finger movements than linear methods. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.01.583000. [PMID: 38496403 PMCID: PMC10942378 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.01.583000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Brain-machine interfaces (BMI) aim to restore function to persons living with spinal cord injuries by 'decoding' neural signals into behavior. Recently, nonlinear BMI decoders have outperformed previous state-of-the-art linear decoders, but few studies have investigated what specific improvements these nonlinear approaches provide. In this study, we compare how temporally convolved feedforward neural networks (tcFNNs) and linear approaches predict individuated finger movements in open and closed-loop settings. We show that nonlinear decoders generate more naturalistic movements, producing distributions of velocities 85.3% closer to true hand control than linear decoders. Addressing concerns that neural networks may come to inconsistent solutions, we find that regularization techniques improve the consistency of tcFNN convergence by 194.6%, along with improving average performance, and training speed. Finally, we show that tcFNN can leverage training data from multiple task variations to improve generalization. The results of this study show that nonlinear methods produce more naturalistic movements and show potential for generalizing over less constrained tasks. Teaser A neural network decoder produces consistent naturalistic movements and shows potential for real-world generalization through task variations.
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25
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Holt MW, Robinson EC, Shlobin NA, Hanson JT, Bozkurt I. Intracortical brain-computer interfaces for improved motor function: a systematic review. Rev Neurosci 2024; 35:213-223. [PMID: 37845811 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
In this systematic review, we address the status of intracortical brain-computer interfaces (iBCIs) applied to the motor cortex to improve function in patients with impaired motor ability. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 Guidelines for Systematic Reviews. Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions (ROBINS-I) and the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) were used to assess bias and quality. Advances in iBCIs in the last two decades demonstrated the use of iBCI to activate limbs for functional tasks, achieve neural typing for communication, and other applications. However, the inconsistency of performance metrics employed by these studies suggests the need for standardization. Each study was a pilot clinical trial consisting of 1-4, majority male (64.28 %) participants, with most trials featuring participants treated for more than 12 months (55.55 %). The systems treated patients with various conditions: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke, spinocerebellar degeneration without cerebellar involvement, and spinal cord injury. All participants presented with tetraplegia at implantation and were implanted with microelectrode arrays via pneumatic insertion, with nearly all electrode locations solely at the precentral gyrus of the motor cortex (88.88 %). The development of iBCI devices using neural signals from the motor cortex to improve motor-impaired patients has enhanced the ability of these systems to return ability to their users. However, many milestones remain before these devices can prove their feasibility for recovery. This review summarizes the achievements and shortfalls of these systems and their respective trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W Holt
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of South Carolina Beaufort, 1 University Blvd, Bluffton, 29909, USA
| | | | - Nathan A Shlobin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Jacob T Hanson
- Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Englewood, CO 80112, USA
| | - Ismail Bozkurt
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Yuksek Ihtisas University, 06530 Ankara, Türkiye
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Park Ankara Hospital, 06680 Ankara, Türkiye
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26
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Barra B, Kumar R, Gopinath C, Mirzakhalili E, Lempka SF, Gaunt RA, Fisher LE. High-frequency amplitude-modulated sinusoidal stimulation induces desynchronized yet controllable neural firing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.14.580219. [PMID: 38405798 PMCID: PMC10888888 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.14.580219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Regaining sensory feedback is pivotal for people living with limb amputation. Electrical stimulation of sensory fibers in peripheral nerves has been shown to restore focal percepts in the missing limb. However, conventional rectangular current pulses induce sensations often described as unnatural. This is likely due to the synchronous and periodic nature of activity evoked by these pulses. Here we introduce a fast-oscillating amplitude-modulated sinusoidal (FAMS) stimulation waveform that desynchronizes evoked neural activity. We used a computational model to show that sinusoidal waveforms evoke asynchronous and irregular firing and that firing patterns are frequency dependent. We designed the FAMS waveform to leverage both low- and high-frequency effects and found that membrane non-linearities enhance neuron-specific differences when exposed to FAMS. We implemented this waveform in a feline model of peripheral nerve stimulation and demonstrated that FAMS-evoked activity is more asynchronous than activity evoked by rectangular pulses, while being easily controllable with simple stimulation parameters. These results represent an important step towards biomimetic stimulation strategies useful for clinical applications to restore sensory feedback.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Barra
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, USA
| | - Ritesh Kumar
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Chaitanya Gopinath
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ehsan Mirzakhalili
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Scott F. Lempka
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Robert A. Gaunt
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Lee E Fisher
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
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27
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Duncan JL, Wang JJ, Glusauskas G, Weagraff GR, Gao Y, Hoeferlin GF, Hunter AH, Hess-Dunning A, Ereifej ES, Capadona JR. In Vivo Characterization of Intracortical Probes with Focused Ion Beam-Etched Nanopatterned Topographies. MICROMACHINES 2024; 15:286. [PMID: 38399014 PMCID: PMC10893395 DOI: 10.3390/mi15020286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
(1) Background: Intracortical microelectrodes (IMEs) are an important part of interfacing with the central nervous system (CNS) and recording neural signals. However, recording electrodes have shown a characteristic steady decline in recording performance owing to chronic neuroinflammation. The topography of implanted devices has been explored to mimic the nanoscale three-dimensional architecture of the extracellular matrix. Our previous work used histology to study the implant sites of non-recording probes and showed that a nanoscale topography at the probe surface mitigated the neuroinflammatory response compared to probes with smooth surfaces. Here, we hypothesized that the improvement in the neuroinflammatory response for probes with nanoscale surface topography would extend to improved recording performance. (2) Methods: A novel design modification was implemented on planar silicon-based neural probes by etching nanopatterned grooves (with a 500 nm pitch) into the probe shank. To assess the hypothesis, two groups of rats were implanted with either nanopatterned (n = 6) or smooth control (n = 6) probes, and their recording performance was evaluated over 4 weeks. Postmortem gene expression analysis was performed to compare the neuroinflammatory response from the two groups. (3) Results: Nanopatterned probes demonstrated an increased impedance and noise floor compared to controls. However, the recording performances of the nanopatterned and smooth probes were similar, with active electrode yields for control probes and nanopatterned probes being approximately 50% and 45%, respectively, by 4 weeks post-implantation. Gene expression analysis showed one gene, Sirt1, differentially expressed out of 152 in the panel. (4) Conclusions: this study provides a foundation for investigating novel nanoscale topographies on neural probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan L. Duncan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10701 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Jaime J. Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10701 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Gabriele Glusauskas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10701 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Gwendolyn R. Weagraff
- Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10701 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Yue Gao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - George F. Hoeferlin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10701 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Allen H. Hunter
- Michigan Center for Materials Characterization, University of Michigan, 500 S. State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Allison Hess-Dunning
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10701 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Evon S. Ereifej
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 500 S. State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Veterans Affairs Hospital, 2215 Fuller Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
| | - Jeffrey R. Capadona
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10701 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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28
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Willsey MS, Shah NP, Avansino DT, Hahn NV, Jamiolkowski RM, Kamdar FB, Hochberg LR, Willett FR, Henderson JM. A real-time, high-performance brain-computer interface for finger decoding and quadcopter control. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.06.578107. [PMID: 38370697 PMCID: PMC10871262 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.06.578107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
People with paralysis express unmet needs for peer support, leisure activities, and sporting activities. Many within the general population rely on social media and massively multiplayer video games to address these needs. We developed a high-performance finger brain-computer-interface system allowing continuous control of 3 independent finger groups with 2D thumb movements. The system was tested in a human research participant over sequential trials requiring fingers to reach and hold on targets, with an average acquisition rate of 76 targets/minute and completion time of 1.58 ± 0.06 seconds. Performance compared favorably to previous animal studies, despite a 2-fold increase in the decoded degrees-of-freedom (DOF). Finger positions were then used for 4-DOF velocity control of a virtual quadcopter, demonstrating functionality over both fixed and random obstacle courses. This approach shows promise for controlling multiple-DOF end-effectors, such as robotic fingers or digital interfaces for work, entertainment, and socialization.
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29
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Deo DR, Willett FR, Avansino DT, Hochberg LR, Henderson JM, Shenoy KV. Brain control of bimanual movement enabled by recurrent neural networks. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1598. [PMID: 38238386 PMCID: PMC10796685 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51617-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain-computer interfaces have so far focused largely on enabling the control of a single effector, for example a single computer cursor or robotic arm. Restoring multi-effector motion could unlock greater functionality for people with paralysis (e.g., bimanual movement). However, it may prove challenging to decode the simultaneous motion of multiple effectors, as we recently found that a compositional neural code links movements across all limbs and that neural tuning changes nonlinearly during dual-effector motion. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of high-quality bimanual control of two cursors via neural network (NN) decoders. Through simulations, we show that NNs leverage a neural 'laterality' dimension to distinguish between left and right-hand movements as neural tuning to both hands become increasingly correlated. In training recurrent neural networks (RNNs) for two-cursor control, we developed a method that alters the temporal structure of the training data by dilating/compressing it in time and re-ordering it, which we show helps RNNs successfully generalize to the online setting. With this method, we demonstrate that a person with paralysis can control two computer cursors simultaneously. Our results suggest that neural network decoders may be advantageous for multi-effector decoding, provided they are designed to transfer to the online setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darrel R Deo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Francis R Willett
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Donald T Avansino
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Leigh R Hochberg
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- VA RR&D Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Rehabilitation R&D Service, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jaimie M Henderson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Bio-X Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Krishna V Shenoy
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Bio-X Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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30
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Donati E, Valle G. Neuromorphic hardware for somatosensory neuroprostheses. Nat Commun 2024; 15:556. [PMID: 38228580 PMCID: PMC10791662 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44723-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In individuals with sensory-motor impairments, missing limb functions can be restored using neuroprosthetic devices that directly interface with the nervous system. However, restoring the natural tactile experience through electrical neural stimulation requires complex encoding strategies. Indeed, they are presently limited in effectively conveying or restoring tactile sensations by bandwidth constraints. Neuromorphic technology, which mimics the natural behavior of neurons and synapses, holds promise for replicating the encoding of natural touch, potentially informing neurostimulation design. In this perspective, we propose that incorporating neuromorphic technologies into neuroprostheses could be an effective approach for developing more natural human-machine interfaces, potentially leading to advancements in device performance, acceptability, and embeddability. We also highlight ongoing challenges and the required actions to facilitate the future integration of these advanced technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Donati
- Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Giacomo Valle
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Li E, Yan R, Qiao H, Sun J, Zou P, Chang J, Li S, Ma Q, Zhang R, Liao B. Combined transcriptomics and proteomics studies on the effect of electrical stimulation on spinal cord injury in rats. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23960. [PMID: 38226269 PMCID: PMC10788535 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Electrical stimulation (ES) of the spinal cord is a promising therapy for functional rehabilitation after spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the specific mechanism of action is poorly understood. We designed and applied an implanted ES device in the SCI area in rats and determined the effect of ES on the treatment of motor dysfunction after SCI using behavioral scores. Additionally, we examined the molecular characteristics of the samples using proteomic and transcriptomic sequencing. The differential molecules between groups were identified using statistical analyses. Molecular, network, and pathway-based analyses were used to identify group-specific biological features. ES (0.5 mA, 0.1 ms, 50 Hz) had a positive effect on motor dysfunction and neuronal regeneration in rats after SCI. Six samples (three independent replicates in each group) were used for transcriptome sequencing; we obtained 1026 differential genes, comprising 274 upregulated genes and 752 downregulated genes. A total of 10 samples were obtained: four samples in the ES group and six samples in the SCI group; for the proteome sequencing, 48 differential proteins were identified, including 45 up-regulated and three down-regulated proteins. Combined transcriptomic and proteomic studies have shown that the main enrichment pathway is the hedgehog signaling pathway. Western blot results showed that the expression levels of Sonic hedgehog (SHH) (P < 0.001), Smoothened (SMO) (P = 0.0338), and GLI-1 (P < 0.01) proteins in the ES treatment group were significantly higher than those in the SCI group. The immunofluorescence results showed significantly increased expression of SHH (P = 0.0181), SMO (P = 0.021), and GLI-1 (P = 0.0126) in the ES group compared with that in the SCI group. In conclusion, ES after SCI had a positive effect on motor dysfunction and anti-inflammatory effects in rats. Moreover, transcriptomic and proteomic sequencing also provided unique perspectives on the complex relationships between ES on SCI, where the SHH signaling pathway plays a critical role. Our study provides a significant theoretical foundation for the clinical implementation of ES therapy in patients with SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erliang Li
- Department of Joint Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Rongbao Yan
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Huanhuan Qiao
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jin Sun
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Peng Zou
- Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiaqi Chang
- School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beihang University, 37th Xueyuan Road, Beijing, China
| | - Shuang Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qiong Ma
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Bo Liao
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
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Capogrosso M, Balaguer JM, Prat-Ortega G, Verma N, Yadav P, Sorensen E, de Freitas R, Ensel S, Borda L, Donadio S, Liang L, Ho J, Damiani A, Grigsby E, Fields D, Gonzalez-Martinez J, Gerszten P, Weber D, Pirondini E. Supraspinal control of motoneurons after paralysis enabled by spinal cord stimulation. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3650257. [PMID: 38260333 PMCID: PMC10802737 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3650257/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) restores motor control after spinal cord injury (SCI) and stroke. This evidence led to the hypothesis that SCS facilitates residual supraspinal inputs to spinal motoneurons. Instead, here we show that SCS does not facilitate residual supraspinal inputs but directly triggers motoneurons action potentials. However, supraspinal inputs can shape SCS-mediated activity, mimicking volitional control of motoneuron firing. Specifically, by combining simulations, intraspinal electrophysiology in monkeys and single motor unit recordings in humans with motor paralysis, we found that residual supraspinal inputs transform subthreshold SCS-induced excitatory postsynaptic potentials into suprathreshold events. We then demonstrated that only a restricted set of stimulation parameters enables volitional control of motoneuron firing and that lesion severity further restricts the set of effective parameters. Our results explain the facilitation of voluntary motor control during SCS while predicting the limitations of this neurotechnology in cases of severe loss of supraspinal axons.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Josep-Maria Balaguer
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Ali O, Saif-Ur-Rehman M, Glasmachers T, Iossifidis I, Klaes C. ConTraNet: A hybrid network for improving the classification of EEG and EMG signals with limited training data. Comput Biol Med 2024; 168:107649. [PMID: 37980798 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.107649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Bio-Signals such as electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) are widely used for the rehabilitation of physically disabled people and for the characterization of cognitive impairments. Successful decoding of these bio-signals is however non-trivial because of the time-varying and non-stationary characteristics. Furthermore, existence of short- and long-range dependencies in these time-series signal makes the decoding even more challenging. State-of-the-art studies proposed Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) based architectures for the classification of these bio-signals, which are proven useful to learn spatial representations. However, CNNs because of the fixed size convolutional kernels and shared weights pay only uniform attention and are also suboptimal in learning short-long term dependencies, simultaneously, which could be pivotal in decoding EEG and EMG signals. Therefore, it is important to address these limitations of CNNs. To learn short- and long-range dependencies simultaneously and to pay more attention to more relevant part of the input signal, Transformer neural network-based architectures can play a significant role. Nonetheless, it requires a large corpus of training data. However, EEG and EMG decoding studies produce limited amount of the data. Therefore, using standalone transformers neural networks produce ordinary results. In this study, we ask a question whether we can fix the limitations of CNN and transformer neural networks and provide a robust and generalized model that can simultaneously learn spatial patterns, long-short term dependencies, pay variable amount of attention to time-varying non-stationary input signal with limited training data. APPROACH In this work, we introduce a novel single hybrid model called ConTraNet, which is based on CNN and Transformer architectures that contains the strengths of both CNN and Transformer neural networks. ConTraNet uses a CNN block to introduce inductive bias in the model and learn local dependencies, whereas the Transformer block uses the self-attention mechanism to learn the short- and long-range or global dependencies in the signal and learn to pay different attention to different parts of the signals. MAIN RESULTS We evaluated and compared the ConTraNet with state-of-the-art methods on four publicly available datasets (BCI Competition IV dataset 2b, Physionet MI-EEG dataset, Mendeley sEMG dataset, Mendeley sEMG V1 dataset) which belong to EEG-HMI and EMG-HMI paradigms. ConTraNet outperformed its counterparts in all the different category tasks (2-class, 3-class, 4-class, 7-class, and 10-class decoding tasks). SIGNIFICANCE With limited training data ConTraNet significantly improves classification performance on four publicly available datasets for 2, 3, 4, 7, and 10-classes compared to its counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omair Ali
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum GmbH, Germany; Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany.
| | - Muhammad Saif-Ur-Rehman
- Department of Computer Science, Ruhr-West University of Applied Science, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | | | - Ioannis Iossifidis
- Department of Computer Science, Ruhr-West University of Applied Science, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Christian Klaes
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum GmbH, Germany
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Ganjali M, Mehridehnavi A, Rakhshani S, Khorasani A. Unsupervised Neural Manifold Alignment for Stable Decoding of Movement from Cortical Signals. Int J Neural Syst 2024; 34:2450006. [PMID: 38063378 DOI: 10.1142/s0129065724500060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
The stable decoding of movement parameters using neural activity is crucial for the success of brain-machine interfaces (BMIs). However, neural activity can be unstable over time, leading to changes in the parameters used for decoding movement, which can hinder accurate movement decoding. To tackle this issue, one approach is to transfer neural activity to a stable, low-dimensional manifold using dimensionality reduction techniques and align manifolds across sessions by maximizing correlations of the manifolds. However, the practical use of manifold stabilization techniques requires knowledge of the true subject intentions such as target direction or behavioral state. To overcome this limitation, an automatic unsupervised algorithm is proposed that determines movement target intention before manifold alignment in the presence of manifold rotation and scaling across sessions. This unsupervised algorithm is combined with a dimensionality reduction and alignment method to overcome decoder instabilities. The effectiveness of the BMI stabilizer method is represented by decoding the two-dimensional (2D) hand velocity of two rhesus macaque monkeys during a center-out-reaching movement task. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated using correlation coefficient and R-squared measures, demonstrating higher decoding performance compared to a state-of-the-art unsupervised BMI stabilizer. The results offer benefits for the automatic determination of movement intents in long-term BMI decoding. Overall, the proposed method offers a promising automatic solution for achieving stable and accurate movement decoding in BMI applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadali Ganjali
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Alireza Mehridehnavi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Sajed Rakhshani
- Medical Image and Signal Processing Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Abed Khorasani
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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35
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Chepla KJ, Perkins B, Bryden AM, Keith MW. Clinical Outcomes of "Paralyzed" Nerve Transfer for Treating Spinal Cord Injury: A Proof of Concept in a Human Model. Cureus 2024; 16:e52447. [PMID: 38371044 PMCID: PMC10871158 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.52447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is an option to restore function in individuals after high cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) who have limited available options for tendon or nerve transfer. To be considered for FES implantation, patients must possess upper motor neuron (UMN) type denervation in potential recipient muscles, which can be confirmed by response to surface electrical stimulation during clinical evaluation. Lower motor neuron (LMN) denervated muscles will not respond to electrical stimulation and, therefore, are unavailable for use in an FES system. Previous animal studies have demonstrated that a "paralyzed" nerve transfer of a UMN-denervated motor branch to an LMN-denervated motor branch can restore electrical excitability in the recipient. In this study, we report the indications, surgical technique, and successful outcome (restoration of M3 elbow flexion) after the first "paralyzed" nerve transfer in a human patient.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Blake Perkins
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, USA
| | - Anne M Bryden
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, USA
| | - Michael W Keith
- Orthopaedic Surgery, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, USA
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36
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Lin S, Jiang J, Huang K, Li L, He X, Du P, Wu Y, Liu J, Li X, Huang Z, Zhou Z, Yu Y, Gao J, Lei M, Wu H. Advanced Electrode Technologies for Noninvasive Brain-Computer Interfaces. ACS NANO 2023; 17:24487-24513. [PMID: 38064282 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c06781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their potential applications in medical, assistive, and communication technologies. Building on this, noninvasive BCIs stand out as they provide a safe and user-friendly method for interacting with the human brain. In this work, we provide a comprehensive overview of the latest developments and advancements in material, design, and application of noninvasive BCIs electrode technology. We also explore the challenges and limitations currently faced by noninvasive BCI electrode technology and sketch out the technological roadmap from three dimensions: Materials and Design; Performances; Mode and Function. We aim to unite research efforts within the field of noninvasive BCI electrode technology, focusing on the consolidation of shared goals and fostering integrated development strategies among a diverse array of multidisciplinary researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Lin
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Jingjing Jiang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Kai Huang
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications and School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, China
| | - Lei Li
- National Engineering Research Center of Electric Vehicles, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xian He
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Peng Du
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yufeng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Junchen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications and School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, China
| | - Xilin Li
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
- Advanced Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Zhibao Huang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Zenan Zhou
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Yuanhang Yu
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Jiaxin Gao
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Ming Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications and School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, China
| | - Hui Wu
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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37
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Zhang J, Li J, Huang Z, Huang D, Yu H, Li Z. Recent Progress in Wearable Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Devices Based on Electroencephalogram (EEG) for Medical Applications: A Review. HEALTH DATA SCIENCE 2023; 3:0096. [PMID: 38487198 PMCID: PMC10880169 DOI: 10.34133/hds.0096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Importance: Brain-computer interface (BCI) decodes and converts brain signals into machine instructions to interoperate with the external world. However, limited by the implantation risks of invasive BCIs and the operational complexity of conventional noninvasive BCIs, applications of BCIs are mainly used in laboratory or clinical environments, which are not conducive to the daily use of BCI devices. With the increasing demand for intelligent medical care, the development of wearable BCI systems is necessary. Highlights: Based on the scalp-electroencephalogram (EEG), forehead-EEG, and ear-EEG, the state-of-the-art wearable BCI devices for disease management and patient assistance are reviewed. This paper focuses on the EEG acquisition equipment of the novel wearable BCI devices and summarizes the development direction of wearable EEG-based BCI devices. Conclusions: BCI devices play an essential role in the medical field. This review briefly summarizes novel wearable EEG-based BCIs applied in the medical field and the latest progress in related technologies, emphasizing its potential to help doctors, patients, and caregivers better understand and utilize BCI devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayan Zhang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Integrated Circuits, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro and Nano Manufacture Technology, School of Integrated Circuits,
Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Junshi Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Integrated Circuits, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro and Nano Manufacture Technology, School of Integrated Circuits,
Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhe Huang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Integrated Circuits, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro and Nano Manufacture Technology, School of Integrated Circuits,
Peking University, Beijing, China
- Shenzhen Graduate School,
Peking University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dong Huang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Integrated Circuits, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro and Nano Manufacture Technology, School of Integrated Circuits,
Peking University, Beijing, China
- School of Electronics,
Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Huaiqiang Yu
- Sichuan Institute of Piezoelectric and Acousto-optic Technology, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhihong Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Integrated Circuits, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro and Nano Manufacture Technology, School of Integrated Circuits,
Peking University, Beijing, China
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38
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de Mongeot LB, Galofaro E, Ramadan F, D'Antonio E, Missiroli F, Lotti N, Casadio M, Masia L. Combining FES and Exoskeletons in a Hybrid Haptic System for Enhancing VR Experience. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2023; 31:4812-4820. [PMID: 37971913 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2023.3334190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Robotic technology and functional electrical stimulation (FES) have emerged as highly effective rehabilitative techniques for individuals with neuromuscular diseases, showcasting their ability to restore motor functions. Within the proposed study, we developed and tested a new hybrid controller combining an upper-limb exoskeleton with FES to enhance haptic feedback when performing task-oriented and bimanual movement, like pick-and-place, in a virtual environment. We investigated the performance of the proposed approach on eight unimpaired participants providing haptic feedback either only by the exoskeleton or by the hybrid system. The hybrid control presents two different modalities, assistive and resistive, to modulate the perception of the load. FES intensity is calibrated to the subjects' biomechanical properties and it is adjusted in real-time according to the real-time motion of the upper limbs. Experimental results highlighted the ability of the hybrid control to improve kinematic performance: in both hybrid modalities subjects reduced the target matching error(values between 0.048±0.007 m and 0.06±0.006 m) without affecting the normal motion smoothness (SPARC values in the hybrid conditions range from -2.58±0.12 to -3.30±0.13). Moreover, the resistive approach resulted in greater metabolic consumption (1.04±0.03 W/kg), indicating a more realistic experience of lifting a virtual object through FES that increased the perceived weight. The innovation in our hybrid control relies on the modulation of muscular activation during manipulation tasks, which could be a promising approach in the clinical treatment of neuromuscular diseases.
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39
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Balaguer JM, Prat-Ortega G, Verma N, Yadav P, Sorensen E, de Freitas R, Ensel S, Borda L, Donadio S, Liang L, Ho J, Damiani A, Grigsby E, Fields DP, Gonzalez-Martinez JA, Gerszten PC, Fisher LE, Weber DJ, Pirondini E, Capogrosso M. SUPRASPINAL CONTROL OF MOTONEURONS AFTER PARALYSIS ENABLED BY SPINAL CORD STIMULATION. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.11.29.23298779. [PMID: 38076797 PMCID: PMC10705627 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.23298779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) restores motor control after spinal cord injury (SCI) and stroke. This evidence led to the hypothesis that SCS facilitates residual supraspinal inputs to spinal motoneurons. Instead, here we show that SCS does not facilitate residual supraspinal inputs but directly triggers motoneurons action potentials. However, supraspinal inputs can shape SCS-mediated activity, mimicking volitional control of motoneuron firing. Specifically, by combining simulations, intraspinal electrophysiology in monkeys and single motor unit recordings in humans with motor paralysis, we found that residual supraspinal inputs transform subthreshold SCS-induced excitatory postsynaptic potentials into suprathreshold events. We then demonstrated that only a restricted set of stimulation parameters enables volitional control of motoneuron firing and that lesion severity further restricts the set of effective parameters. Our results explain the facilitation of voluntary motor control during SCS while predicting the limitations of this neurotechnology in cases of severe loss of supraspinal axons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josep-Maria Balaguer
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Genis Prat-Ortega
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Nikhil Verma
- Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Prakarsh Yadav
- Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Erynn Sorensen
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Roberto de Freitas
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Scott Ensel
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Luigi Borda
- Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Serena Donadio
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Lucy Liang
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Jonathan Ho
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Arianna Damiani
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Erinn Grigsby
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Daryl P. Fields
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
| | | | - Peter C. Gerszten
- Dept. of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Lee E. Fisher
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Douglas J. Weber
- Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, US
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Elvira Pirondini
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
| | - Marco Capogrosso
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
- Dept. of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, US
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40
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Merino EC, Faes A, Van Hulle MM. The role of distinct ECoG frequency features in decoding finger movement. J Neural Eng 2023; 20:066014. [PMID: 37963397 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ad0c5e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Objective.To identify the electrocorticography (ECoG) frequency features that encode distinct finger movement states during repeated finger flexions.Approach.We used the publicly available Stanford ECoG dataset of cue-based, repeated single finger flexions. Using linear regression, we identified the spectral features that contributed most to the encoding of movement dynamics and discriminating movement events from rest, and combined them to predict finger movement trajectories. Furthermore, we also looked into the effect of the used frequency range and the spatial distribution of the identified features.Main results.Two frequency features generate superior performance, each one for a different movement aspect: high gamma band activity distinguishes movement events from rest, whereas the local motor potential (LMP) codes for movement dynamics. Combining these two features in a finger movement decoder outperformed comparable prior work where the entire spectrum was used as the average correlation coefficient with the true trajectories increased from 0.45 to 0.5, both applied to the Stanford dataset, and erroneous predictions during rest were demoted. In addition, for the first time, our results show the influence of the upper cut-off frequency used to extract LMP, yielding a higher performance when this range is adjusted to the finger movement rate.Significance.This study shows the benefit of a detailed feature analysis prior to designing the finger movement decoder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Calvo Merino
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - A Faes
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - M M Van Hulle
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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41
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Canny E, Vansteensel MJ, van der Salm SMA, Müller-Putz GR, Berezutskaya J. Boosting brain-computer interfaces with functional electrical stimulation: potential applications in people with locked-in syndrome. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2023; 20:157. [PMID: 37980536 PMCID: PMC10656959 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-023-01272-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with a locked-in state live with severe whole-body paralysis that limits their ability to communicate with family and loved ones. Recent advances in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology have presented a potential alternative for these people to communicate by detecting neural activity associated with attempted hand or speech movements and translating the decoded intended movements to a control signal for a computer. A technique that could potentially enrich the communication capacity of BCIs is functional electrical stimulation (FES) of paralyzed limbs and face to restore body and facial movements of paralyzed individuals, allowing to add body language and facial expression to communication BCI utterances. Here, we review the current state of the art of existing BCI and FES work in people with paralysis of body and face and propose that a combined BCI-FES approach, which has already proved successful in several applications in stroke and spinal cord injury, can provide a novel promising mode of communication for locked-in individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Canny
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mariska J Vansteensel
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sandra M A van der Salm
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gernot R Müller-Putz
- Institute of Neural Engineering, Laboratory of Brain-Computer Interfaces, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Julia Berezutskaya
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Chen K, Forrest A, Gonzalez Burgos G, Kozai TDY. Neuronal functional connectivity is impaired in a layer dependent manner near the chronically implanted microelectrodes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.06.565852. [PMID: 37986883 PMCID: PMC10659303 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.06.565852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Objective This study aims to reveal longitudinal changes in functional network connectivity within and across different brain structures near the chronically implanted microelectrode. While it is well established that the foreign-body response (FBR) contributes to the gradual decline of the signals recorded from brain implants over time, how does the FBR impact affect the functional stability of neural circuits near implanted Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) remains unknown. This research aims to illuminate how the chronic FBR can alter local neural circuit function and the implications for BCI decoders. Approach This study utilized multisite Michigan-style microelectrodes that span all cortical layers and the hippocampal CA1 region to collect spontaneous and visually-evoked electrophysiological activity. Alterations in neuronal activity near the microelectrode were tested assessing cross-frequency synchronization of LFP and spike entrainment to LFP oscillatory activity throughout 16 weeks after microelectrode implantation. Main Results The study found that cortical layer 4, the input-receiving layer, maintained activity over the implantation time. However, layers 2/3 rapidly experienced severe impairment, leading to a loss of proper intralaminar connectivity in the downstream output layers 5/6. Furthermore, the impairment of interlaminar connectivity near the microelectrode was unidirectional, showing decreased connectivity from Layers 2/3 to Layers 5/6 but not the reverse direction. In the hippocampus, CA1 neurons gradually became unable to properly entrain to the surrounding LFP oscillations. Significance This study provides a detailed characterization of network connectivity dysfunction over long-term microelectrode implantation periods. This new knowledge could contribute to the development of targeted therapeutic strategies aimed at improving the health of the tissue surrounding brain implants and potentially inform engineering of adaptive decoders as the FBR progresses. Our study's understanding of the dynamic changes in the functional network over time opens the door to developing interventions for improving the long-term stability and performance of intracortical microelectrodes.
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Rizzoglio F, Altan E, Ma X, Bodkin KL, Dekleva BM, Solla SA, Kennedy A, Miller LE. From monkeys to humans: observation-basedEMGbrain-computer interface decoders for humans with paralysis. J Neural Eng 2023; 20:056040. [PMID: 37844567 PMCID: PMC10618714 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ad038e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Objective. Intracortical brain-computer interfaces (iBCIs) aim to enable individuals with paralysis to control the movement of virtual limbs and robotic arms. Because patients' paralysis prevents training a direct neural activity to limb movement decoder, most iBCIs rely on 'observation-based' decoding in which the patient watches a moving cursor while mentally envisioning making the movement. However, this reliance on observed target motion for decoder development precludes its application to the prediction of unobservable motor output like muscle activity. Here, we ask whether recordings of muscle activity from a surrogate individual performing the same movement as the iBCI patient can be used as target for an iBCI decoder.Approach. We test two possible approaches, each using data from a human iBCI user and a monkey, both performing similar motor actions. In one approach, we trained a decoder to predict the electromyographic (EMG) activity of a monkey from neural signals recorded from a human. We then contrast this to a second approach, based on the hypothesis that the low-dimensional 'latent' neural representations of motor behavior, known to be preserved across time for a given behavior, might also be preserved across individuals. We 'transferred' an EMG decoder trained solely on monkey data to the human iBCI user after using Canonical Correlation Analysis to align the human latent signals to those of the monkey.Main results. We found that both direct and transfer decoding approaches allowed accurate EMG predictions between two monkeys and from a monkey to a human.Significance. Our findings suggest that these latent representations of behavior are consistent across animals and even primate species. These methods are an important initial step in the development of iBCI decoders that generate EMG predictions that could serve as signals for a biomimetic decoder controlling motion and impedance of a prosthetic arm, or even muscle force directly through functional electrical stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Rizzoglio
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Ege Altan
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
| | - Xuan Ma
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Kevin L Bodkin
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Brian M Dekleva
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Sara A Solla
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
| | - Ann Kennedy
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Lee E Miller
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
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Pellot-Cestero JE, Herring EZ, Graczyk EL, Memberg WD, Kirsch RF, Ajiboye AB, Miller JP. Implanted Electrodes for Functional Electrical Stimulation to Restore Upper and Lower Extremity Function: History and Future Directions. Neurosurgery 2023; 93:965-970. [PMID: 37288972 DOI: 10.1227/neu.0000000000002561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional electrical stimulation (FES) to activate nerves and muscles in paralyzed extremities has considerable promise to improve outcome after neurological disease or injury, especially in individuals who have upper motor nerve dysfunction due to central nervous system pathology. Because technology has improved, a wide variety of methods for providing electrical stimulation to create functional movements have been developed, including muscle stimulating electrodes, nerve stimulating electrodes, and hybrid constructs. However, in spite of decades of success in experimental settings with clear functional improvements for individuals with paralysis, the technology has not yet reached widespread clinical translation. In this review, we outline the history of FES techniques and approaches and describe future directions in evolution of the technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel E Pellot-Cestero
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Neurological Institute, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Eric Z Herring
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Neurological Institute, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Emily L Graczyk
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, FES Center of Excellence, Rehab. R&D Service, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - William D Memberg
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, FES Center of Excellence, Rehab. R&D Service, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Robert F Kirsch
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, FES Center of Excellence, Rehab. R&D Service, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - A Bolu Ajiboye
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, FES Center of Excellence, Rehab. R&D Service, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
| | - Jonathan P Miller
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Neurological Institute, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, FES Center of Excellence, Rehab. R&D Service, Cleveland , Ohio , USA
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Fan J, Li X, Wang P, Yang F, Zhao B, Yang J, Zhao Z, Li X. A Hyperflexible Electrode Array for Long-Term Recording and Decoding of Intraspinal Neuronal Activity. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2303377. [PMID: 37870208 PMCID: PMC10667843 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202303377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Neural interfaces for stable access to the spinal cord (SC) electrical activity can benefit patients with motor dysfunctions. Invasive high-density electrodes can directly extract signals from SC neuronal populations that can be used for the facilitation, adjustment, and reconstruction of motor actions. However, developing neural interfaces that can achieve high channel counts and long-term intraspinal recording remains technically challenging. Here, a biocompatible SC hyperflexible electrode array (SHEA) with an ultrathin structure that minimizes mechanical mismatch between the interface and SC tissue and enables stable single-unit recording for more than 2 months in mice is demonstrated. These results show that SHEA maintains stable impedance, signal-to-noise ratio, single-unit yield, and spike amplitude after implantation into mouse SC. Gait analysis and histology show that SHEA implantation induces negligible behavioral effects and Inflammation. Additionally, multi-unit signals recorded from the SC ventral horn can predict the mouse's movement trajectory with a high decoding coefficient of up to 0.95. Moreover, during step cycles, it is found that the neural trajectory of spikes and low-frequency local field potential (LFP) signal exhibits periodic geometry patterns. Thus, SHEA can offer an efficient and reliable SC neural interface for monitoring and potentially modulating SC neuronal activity associated with motor dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Fan
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyInstitute of NeuroscienceChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031P. R. China
| | - Xiaocheng Li
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyInstitute of NeuroscienceChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031P. R. China
| | - Peiyu Wang
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyInstitute of NeuroscienceChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031P. R. China
| | - Fan Yang
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyInstitute of NeuroscienceChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031P. R. China
| | - Bingzhen Zhao
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyInstitute of NeuroscienceChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031P. R. China
| | - Jianing Yang
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyInstitute of NeuroscienceChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031P. R. China
| | - Zhengtuo Zhao
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyInstitute of NeuroscienceChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031P. R. China
| | - Xue Li
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyInstitute of NeuroscienceChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031P. R. China
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Mirfathollahi A, Ghodrati MT, Shalchyan V, Zarrindast MR, Daliri MR. Decoding hand kinetics and kinematics using somatosensory cortex activity in active and passive movement. iScience 2023; 26:107808. [PMID: 37736040 PMCID: PMC10509302 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Area 2 of the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), encodes proprioceptive information of limbs. Several studies investigated the encoding of movement parameters in this area. However, the single-trial decoding of these parameters, which can provide additional knowledge about the amount of information available in sub-regions of this area about instantaneous limb movement, has not been well investigated. We decoded kinematic and kinetic parameters of active and passive hand movement during center-out task using conventional and state-based decoders. Our results show that this area can be used to accurately decode position, velocity, force, moment, and joint angles of hand. Kinematics had higher accuracies compared to kinetics and active trials were decoded more accurately than passive trials. Although the state-based decoder outperformed the conventional decoder in the active task, it was the opposite in the passive task. These results can be used in intracortical micro-stimulation procedures to provide proprioceptive feedback to BCI subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alavie Mirfathollahi
- Institute for Cognitive Science Studies (ICSS), Pardis 16583- 44575 Tehran, Iran
- Neuroscience & Neuroengineering Research Lab, Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Narmak, Tehran 16846-13114, Iran
| | - Mohammad Taghi Ghodrati
- Neuroscience & Neuroengineering Research Lab, Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Narmak, Tehran 16846-13114, Iran
| | - Vahid Shalchyan
- Neuroscience & Neuroengineering Research Lab, Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Narmak, Tehran 16846-13114, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Zarrindast
- Institute for Cognitive Science Studies (ICSS), Pardis 16583- 44575 Tehran, Iran
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14166-34793, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Daliri
- Institute for Cognitive Science Studies (ICSS), Pardis 16583- 44575 Tehran, Iran
- Neuroscience & Neuroengineering Research Lab, Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Narmak, Tehran 16846-13114, Iran
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Qin Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Liu S, Guo X. Application and Development of EEG Acquisition and Feedback Technology: A Review. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:930. [PMID: 37887123 PMCID: PMC10605290 DOI: 10.3390/bios13100930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
This review focuses on electroencephalogram (EEG) acquisition and feedback technology and its core elements, including the composition and principles of the acquisition devices, a wide range of applications, and commonly used EEG signal classification algorithms. First, we describe the construction of EEG acquisition and feedback devices encompassing EEG electrodes, signal processing, and control and feedback systems, which collaborate to measure faint EEG signals from the scalp, convert them into interpretable data, and accomplish practical applications using control feedback systems. Subsequently, we examine the diverse applications of EEG acquisition and feedback across various domains. In the medical field, EEG signals are employed for epilepsy diagnosis, brain injury monitoring, and sleep disorder research. EEG acquisition has revealed associations between brain functionality, cognition, and emotions, providing essential insights for psychologists and neuroscientists. Brain-computer interface technology utilizes EEG signals for human-computer interaction, driving innovation in the medical, engineering, and rehabilitation domains. Finally, we introduce commonly used EEG signal classification algorithms. These classification tasks can identify different cognitive states, emotional states, brain disorders, and brain-computer interface control and promote further development and application of EEG technology. In conclusion, EEG acquisition technology can deepen the understanding of EEG signals while simultaneously promoting developments across multiple domains, such as medicine, science, and engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Qin
- Institute of Advanced Structure Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China;
| | - Yanpeng Zhang
- Beijing Perfect-Protection Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 101601, China; (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.); (S.L.)
| | - Yan Zhang
- Beijing Perfect-Protection Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 101601, China; (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.); (S.L.)
| | - Sheng Liu
- Beijing Perfect-Protection Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 101601, China; (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.); (S.L.)
| | - Xiaogang Guo
- Institute of Advanced Structure Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China;
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Du L, Hao H, Ding Y, Gabros A, Mier TCE, Van der Spiegel J, Lucas TH, Aflatouni F, Richardson AG, Allen MG. An implantable, wireless, battery-free system for tactile pressure sensing. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2023; 9:130. [PMID: 37829157 PMCID: PMC10564885 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-023-00602-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
The sense of touch is critical to dexterous use of the hands and thus an essential component of efforts to restore hand function after amputation or paralysis. Prosthetic systems have addressed this goal with wearable tactile sensors. However, such wearable sensors are suboptimal for neuroprosthetic systems designed to reanimate a patient's own paralyzed hand. Here, we developed an implantable tactile sensing system intended for subdermal placement. The system is composed of a microfabricated capacitive pressure sensor, a custom integrated circuit supporting wireless powering and data transmission, and a laser-fused hermetic silica package. The miniature device was validated through simulations, benchtop assessment, and testing in a primate hand. The sensor implanted in the fingertip accurately measured applied skin forces with a resolution of 4.3 mN. The output from this novel sensor could be encoded in the brain with microstimulation to provide tactile feedback. More broadly, the materials, system design, and fabrication approach establish new foundational capabilities for various applications of implantable sensing systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Du
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Han Hao
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Yixiao Ding
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Andrew Gabros
- Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Thomas C. E. Mier
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Jan Van der Spiegel
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Timothy H. Lucas
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Biomedical Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA
| | - Firooz Aflatouni
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Andrew G. Richardson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Mark G. Allen
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
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Song S, Druschel LN, Chan ER, Capadona JR. Differential expression of genes involved in the chronic response to intracortical microelectrodes. Acta Biomater 2023; 169:348-362. [PMID: 37507031 PMCID: PMC10528922 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.07.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Brain-Machine Interface systems (BMIs) are clinically valuable devices that can provide functional restoration for patients with spinal cord injury or improved integration for patients requiring prostheses. Intracortical microelectrodes can record neuronal action potentials at a resolution necessary for precisely controlling BMIs. However, intracortical microelectrodes have a demonstrated history of progressive decline in the recording performance with time, inhibiting their usefulness. One major contributor to decreased performance is the neuroinflammatory response to the implanted microelectrodes. The neuroinflammatory response can lead to neurodegeneration and the formation of a glial scar at the implant site. Historically, histological imaging of relatively few known cellular and protein markers has characterized the neuroinflammatory response to implanted microelectrode arrays. However, neuroinflammation requires many molecular players to coordinate the response - meaning traditional methods could result in an incomplete understanding. Taking advantage of recent advancements in tools to characterize the relative or absolute DNA/RNA expression levels, a few groups have begun to explore gene expression at the microelectrode-tissue interface. We have utilized a custom panel of ∼813 neuroinflammatory-specific genes developed with NanoString for bulk tissue analysis at the microelectrode-tissue interface. Our previous studies characterized the acute innate immune response to intracortical microelectrodes. Here we investigated the gene expression at the microelectrode-tissue interface in wild-type (WT) mice chronically implanted with nonfunctioning probes. We found 28 differentially expressed genes at chronic time points (4WK, 8WK, and 16WK), many in the complement and extracellular matrix system. Further, the expression levels were relatively stable over time. Genes identified here represent chronic molecular players at the microelectrode implant sites and potential therapeutic targets for the long-term integration of microelectrodes. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Intracortical microelectrodes can record neuronal action potentials at a resolution necessary for the precise control of Brain-Machine Interface systems (BMIs). However, intracortical microelectrodes have a demonstrated history of progressive declines in the recording performance with time, inhibiting their usefulness. One major contributor to the decline in these devices is the neuroinflammatory response against the implanted microelectrodes. Historically, neuroinflammation to implanted microelectrode arrays has been characterized by histological imaging of relatively few known cellular and protein markers. Few studies have begun to develop a more in-depth understanding of the molecular pathways facilitating device-mediated neuroinflammation. Here, we are among the first to identify genetic pathways that could represent targets to improve the host response to intracortical microelectrodes, and ultimately device performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Song
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States; Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States
| | - Lindsey N Druschel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States; Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States
| | - E Ricky Chan
- Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States
| | - Jeffrey R Capadona
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States; Advanced Platform Technology Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States.
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Kilgore KL, Anderson KD, Peckham PH. Neuroprosthesis for individuals with spinal cord injury. Neurol Res 2023; 45:893-905. [PMID: 32727296 PMCID: PMC9415059 DOI: 10.1080/01616412.2020.1798106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Individuals who sustain a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) often have a loss of multiple body systems. Significant functional improvement can be gained by individual SCI through the use of neuroprostheses based on electrical stimulation. The most common actions produced are grasp, overhead reach, trunk posture, standing, stepping, bladder/bowel/sexual function, and respiratory functions. METHODS We review the fundamental principles of electrical stimulation, which are established, allowing stimulation to be safely delivered through implanted devices for many decades. We review four common clinical applications for SCI, including grasp/reach, standing/stepping, bladder/bowel function, and respiratory functions. Systems used to implement these functions have many common features, but are also customized based on the functional goals of each approach. Further, neuroprosthetic systems are customized based on the needs of each user. RESULTS & CONCLUSION The results to date show that implanted neuroprostheses can have a significant impact on the health, function, and quality of life for individuals with SCI. A key focus for the future is to make implanted neuroprostheses broadly available to the SCI population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin L. Kilgore
- – MetroHealth System, Cleveland, Ohio
- – Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
- – VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Kimberly D. Anderson
- – MetroHealth System, Cleveland, Ohio
- – Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - P. Hunter Peckham
- – MetroHealth System, Cleveland, Ohio
- – Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
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