IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering : a publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
-
IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng · Mar 2006
Sites of neuronal excitation by epiretinal electrical stimulation.
Action potentials arising from retinal ganglion cells ultimately create visual percepts. In persons blind from retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration, viable retinal ganglion cells remain, and the retina can be stimulated electrically to restore partial sight. However, it is unclear what neuronal elements in the retina are activated by epiretinal electrical stimulation. ⋯ This finding reveals that the physical geometry of the retinal ganglion cells produces stimulation thresholds that depend strongly on electrode position. The low excitation thresholds near the bend in the axon will result in activation of cells local to the electrode at lower currents than required to excite passing axons. This pattern of activation provides a potential explanation of how epiretinal electrical stimulation results in the production of punctuate, rather than diffuse or streaky phosphenes.
-
IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng · Dec 2005
Reliability of signals from a chronically implanted, silicon-based electrode array in non-human primate primary motor cortex.
Multiple-electrode arrays are valuable both as a research tool and as a sensor for neuromotor prosthetic devices, which could potentially restore voluntary motion and functional independence to paralyzed humans. Long-term array reliability is an important requirement for these applications. Here, we demonstrate the reliability of a regular array of 100 microelectrodes to obtain neural recordings from primary motor cortex (MI) of monkeys for at least three months and up to 1.5 years. ⋯ Arm-movement related modulation was common and 66% of all recorded neurons were tuned to reach direction. The ability for the array to record neural signals from parietal cortex was also established. These results demonstrate that neural recordings that can provide movement related signals for neural prostheses, as well as for fundamental research applications, can be reliably obtained for long time periods using a monolithic microelectrode array in primate MI and potentially from other cortical areas as well.
-
IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng · Dec 2005
A time-series prediction approach for feature extraction in a brain-computer interface.
This paper presents a feature extraction procedure (FEP) for a brain-computer interface (BCI) application where features are extracted from the electroencephalogram (EEG) recorded from subjects performing right and left motor imagery. Two neural networks (NNs) are trained to perform one-step-ahead predictions for the EEG time-series data, where one NN is trained on right motor imagery and the other on left motor imagery. Features are derived from the power (mean squared) of the prediction error or the power of the predicted signals. ⋯ Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) is used for classification. This FEP is tested on three subjects off-line and classification accuracy (CA) rates range between 88% and 98%. The approach compares favorably to a well-known adaptive autoregressive (AAR) FEP and also a linear AAR model based prediction approach.
-
A single-stage, low-noise preamplifier is designed using the concept of noise matching for recordings of neural signal with cuff electrodes. The signal-to-noise ratio is approximately 1.6 times higher than that of a low-noise integrated amplifier (AMP-01) for a cuff impedance of 1.5 komega. The bandwidth is 230 Hz-8.25 kHz (Rs=2 komega), and the common-mode-rejection-ratio is 91.2 dB at 1 kHz.
-
IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng · Sep 2005
Simulation of nerve block by high-frequency sinusoidal electrical current based on the Hodgkin-Huxley model.
Nerve conduction block induced by high-frequency sinusoidal electrical current was simulated using a lumped circuit model of the unmyelinated axon based on Hodgkin-Huxley equations. Axons of different diameters (1-20 microm) can be blocked when the stimulation frequency is above 4 kHz. At higher frequency, a higher stimulation intensity is needed to block nerve conduction. ⋯ High-frequency sinusoidal electrical currents are less effective in blocking nerve conduction than biphasic square pulses of the same frequency. The activation of potassium channels, rather than inactivation of sodium channels, is the possible mechanism underlying the nerve conduction block of the unmyelinated axon induced by high-frequency biphasic (sinusoidal or square pulse) stimulation. This simulation study, which provides more information about the axonal conduction block induced by high-frequency sinusoidal currents, can guide future animal experiments, as well as optimize stimulation waveforms for electrical nerve block in possible clinical applications.