Restoring the Stepping-Like Movement in Spinal Rat by Electrical Micro-Stimulation of Motor Primitive Blocks

Document Type : Original Article (s)

Authors

1 PhD Candidate, Iran Neural Technology Research Center AND Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

2 Professor, Iran Neural Technology Research Center AND Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background: During the last decade, intra-spinal micro-stimulation (ISMS) has been proposed as a potential technique for restoring the motor function in paralyzed limbs. It has been shown that there are functional networks of inter-neurons in the spinal cord (i.e., movement primitive block or motor module) that generate particular motor outputs by selecting specific patterns of muscles activation. In this paper, we investigated the possible activation of the motor module via intra-spinal micro-stimulation.Methods: The experiments were conducted on three adult female Wistar rats. A partial laminectomy was performed to expose at the T13-L4 level. The animals were positioned in a stereotaxic setup which allowed the hindlimbs to hang free while the head and spinal vertebrae (T12 and L5) were clamped rigidly to the frame. We developed custom made real-time software written in LabVIEW to estimate the joint angles. To stimulate the spinal cord, a computer-based sixteen-channel stimulator was used. The amplitude, pulse width and frequency of the stimulation signal could be varied online. Different positions within the spinal cord between the T13-L4 regions were stimulated and the joint angles were measured.Findings: Movement primitive blocks associated with stepping could be generated using ISMS. Recruitment curves of the motor primitive blocks showed liner relationship between stimulation signal and joint angles. By defining a specific pattern of motor primitives' activation, the locomotor-like stepping could be generated.Conclusion: The complex locomotor-like stepping can be generated by the combination of the motor primitives using ISMS. 

Keywords

References

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Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 31, Issue 250 - Serial Number 250
July and August 2013
Pages 1324-1338

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History

  • Receive Date: 29 October 2012
  • Revise Date: 01 November 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2022

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