Wireless microelectrode arrays for selective and chronically stable peripheral nerve stimulation for hindlimb movement
Objective . Maximizing the stability of implanted neural interfaces will be critical to developing
effective treatments for neurological and neuromuscular disorders. Our research aims to develop a
stable neural interface using wireless communication and intrafascicular microelectrodes to provide
highly selective stimulation of neural tissue. Approach . We implanted a wireless floating
microelectrode array into the left sciatic nerve of six rats. Over a 38 week implantation period, we
recorded stimulation thresholds and movements evoked at each implanted electrode. We also tracked
each animal’s response to sensory stimuli and performance on two different walking tasks. Main
results . Presence of the microelectrode array inside the sciatic nerve did not cause any obvious
motor or sensory deficits in the hindlimb. Visible movement in the hindlimb was evoked by
stimulating the sciatic nerve with currents as low as 4.1 µ A. Thresholds for most of the 96
elect...