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Dissertation_PetersonErikJohn_V13.pdf (3.26 MB)

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INFRARED NEURAL STIMULATION AND FUNCTIONAL RECRUITMENT OF THE PERIPHERAL NERVE

Peterson, Erik J
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1363640552

Abstract Details

2013, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Biomedical Engineering.
Peripheral nerve interfaces have been used to restore motor function to paralyzed limbs. To restore the most natural function to paralyzed muscles requires a very selective interface. Arguably, ideal selectivity would entail independent control over each neuron. Neural interfaces based on electrical stimulation of neurons have made the most progress in restoring movement in paralyzed limbs, but increasing selectivity without increasing invasiveness remains a primary goal in developing stable and chronic nerve interfaces. Interfaces that use infrared light to stimulate may provide selective activation without penetrating the nerve. The work presented in this dissertation explores this concept, measuring sensitivity and motor response in peripheral nerves, and using computational models to investigate mechanisms of activation. The in vivo experimental work presented quantifies motor response to extraneural infrared stimulation in the rabbit sciatic nerve. It was hypothesized that infrared light would selectively stimulate motor response in at least three different regions of the nerve, and do so to a functionally significant level. Combined infrared and electrical stimulation was hypothesized to significantly change full-muscle recruitment over electrical recruitment alone. In this study, only 81% of nerves responded to infrared stimulus, with 1.7±0.5 sensitive regions detected per nerve. Single-muscle selectivity was measured in 79±12% of sensitive regions. Infrared stimulus activated significantly less than 10% of the muscle capability, though. Combined electrical and optical stimulation only yielded significant differences from electrical recruitment in 7% of cases. These results highlight challenges to address before translating infrared stimulation larger nerves. Mechanisms of infrared stimulation were studied using computational models. Intracellular currents generated by changes in membrane capacitance or intracellular calcium release were hypothesized capable of triggering action potentials under conditions determined physiologically possible. Results show that activation with membrane capacitance changes depend on the spatial gradient of evoked currents, and that relatively small changes in intracellular calcium concentrations can trigger action potentials. The results of this study provide insight into how infrared light may activate axons, and how infrared stimulation may be improved over current methods.
Dustin Tyler, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Hillel Chiel, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Dominique Durand, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Andrew Rollins, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
233 p.
Biomedical Engineering; Biomedical Research; Optics
Infrared neural stimulation; motor recruitment; selectivity; electrical stimulation; peripheral nerve; sciatic; extraneural; membrane capacitance; computational model

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Peterson, E. J. (2013). INFRARED NEURAL STIMULATION AND FUNCTIONAL RECRUITMENT OF THE PERIPHERAL NERVE [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1363640552

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Peterson, Erik. INFRARED NEURAL STIMULATION AND FUNCTIONAL RECRUITMENT OF THE PERIPHERAL NERVE. 2013. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1363640552.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Peterson, Erik. "INFRARED NEURAL STIMULATION AND FUNCTIONAL RECRUITMENT OF THE PERIPHERAL NERVE." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1363640552

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1363640552
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© 2013, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.