Selective motor unit recruitment via intrafascicular multielectrode stimulation

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Publication Type Journal Article
School or College School of Medicine; College of Engineering
Department Ophthalmology; Bioengineering; Surgery; Physiology
Creator Normann, Richard A.; Clark, Gregory A.; McDonnall, Daniel
Title Selective motor unit recruitment via intrafascicular multielectrode stimulation
Date 2004
Description Recruitment of force via independent asynchronous firing of large numbers of motor units produces the grace and endurance of physiological motion. We have investigated the possibility of reproducing this physiological recruitment strategy by determining the selectivity of access to large numbers of independent motor units through intrafascicular multielectrode stimulation (IFMS) of the peripheral nerve. A Utah Slanted Electrode Array containing 100, 0.5-1.5 mm-long penetrating electrodes was inserted into the sciatic nerve of a cat, and forces generated by the 3 heads of triceps surea in response to electrical stimulation of the nerve were monitored via force transducers attached to their tendons. We found a mean of 17.4 +/- 4.9 (mean +/- SEM) electrodes selectively excited maximal forces in medial gastrocnemius before exciting another muscle. Among electrodes demonstrating selectivity at threshold, a mean of 7.3 +/- 2.7 electrodes were shown to recruit independent populations of motor units innervating medial gastrocnemius (overlap < 20%). Corresponding numbers of electrodes were reported for lateral gastrocnemius and soleus, as well. We used these stimulation data to emulate physiological recruitment strategies, and found that independent motor unit pool recruitment approximates physiological activation more closely than does intensity-based recruitment or frequency-based recruitment.
Type Text
Publisher National Research Council Canada Research Press
Volume 82
First Page 599
Last Page 609
Subject Funtional Neuromuscular Stimulation; Microelectrode Array; Neuroprosthesis; Intrafascicular Multielectrode Stimulation; Cats
Subject MESH Sciatic Nerve; Muscle, Skeletal; Electrodes; Electric Stimulation; Cats
Language eng
Bibliographic Citation McDonnall D, Clark GA, Normann RA. (2004). Selective motor unit recruitment via intrafascicular multielectrode stimulation. Can J Physiol Pharmacol, 82(8-9), 599-609
Rights Management © National Research Council Canada Research Press
Format Medium application/pdf
Identifier ir-main,12760
ARK ark:/87278/s6fx7v53
Setname ir_uspace
ID 707259
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6fx7v53
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