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Energy Efficient Neural Stimulation

Foutz, Thomas J.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1310090782

Abstract Details

2011, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Biomedical Engineering.
Neural stimulation is a method of modulating neural activity, which has lead to the treatment of a number of diseases and conditions. It is both an established clinical tool, and a novel method on the frontier of neuroscience. Energy is a fundamental unit of neural stimulation, whose significance has grown with the rise of current-controlled electrical stimulation and optical stimulation. Historically, rectangular waveforms have been used for electrical stimulation; however, recent work has suggested that non-rectangular waveforms may have advantages over the traditional stimulus pulse. In the first study, detailed computer models were developed to compare a variety of charge-balanced biphasic waveforms with different stimulus pulse shapes. These results were validated in vivo in a rat model of peripheral nerve stimulation. In the second study, a method was investigated to improve the energy-efficiency of implantable-pulse generators (IPGs) by exploiting the biophysical features of excitable tissue. Substantial energy savings were achieved by exchanging the conventional fixed stimulator compliance voltage with a compliance voltage that matches real-time needs. By minimizing this voltage, energy savings of greater than 50% were observed, compared to traditional stimulation. Optogenetics is an emerging field of neuromodulation that uses light to achieve scaled, millisecond control of the membrane dynamics of genetically targeted neurons. In this last study, a computational tool is used to explore the underlying biophysics of optical stimulation. This “light-neuron” model consists of theoretical representations of the light dynamics generated by a fiber optic in brain tissue, coupled to a multi-compartment cable model of a cortical pyramidal neuron embedded with Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2). The activation threshold was found to be sensitive to many of the properties of ChR2, the tissue, and the fiber optic light source. This intention of this engineering design tool is to help guide future development of optogenetic technology. The overall purpose of this project was to investigate the energy-efficiency of neural stimulation. The ultimate goal of this work is to extend the lifetime of electrical IPGs, and to give insight into the future development of optical stimulation.
Cameron McIntyre, PhD (Advisor)
Dominique Durand, PhD (Committee Chair)
Dawn Taylor, PhD (Committee Member)
Jonathan Miller, MD (Committee Member)
Kenneth Gustafson, PhD (Committee Member)
143 p.
Biomedical Engineering
electrical stimulation; optical stimulation; energy efficiency; deep brain stimulation; optogenetics; stimulation waveform; compliance voltage

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Foutz, T. J. (2011). Energy Efficient Neural Stimulation [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1310090782

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Foutz, Thomas. Energy Efficient Neural Stimulation. 2011. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1310090782.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Foutz, Thomas. "Energy Efficient Neural Stimulation." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1310090782

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1310090782
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© 2011, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.