A novel wireless recording and stimulating multichannel epicortical grid for supplementing or enhancing the sensory-motor functions in monkey (Macaca fascicularis).

Antonio G Zippo,Gabriele E M Biella,Napoleon R Torres Martinez,Gian C Caramenti,Alim L Benabid,Pantaleo Romanelli

doi:10.3389/fnsys.2015.00073

Abstract

Artificial brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) represent a prospective step forward supporting or replacing faulty brain functions. So far, several obstacles, such as the energy supply, the portability and the biocompatibility, have been limiting their effective translation in advanced experimental or clinical applications. In this work, a novel 16 channel chronically implantable epicortical grid has been proposed. It provides wireless transmission of cortical recordings and stimulations, with induction current recharge. The grid has been chronically implanted in a non-human primate (Macaca fascicularis) and placed over the somato-motor cortex such that 13 electrodes recorded or stimulated the primary motor cortex and three the primary somatosensory cortex, in the deeply anaesthetized animal. Cortical sensory and motor recordings and stimulations have been performed within 3 months from the implant. In detail, by delivering motor cortex epicortical single spot stimulations (1–8 V, 1–10 Hz, 500 ms, biphasic waves), we analyzed the motor topographic precision, evidenced by tunable finger or arm movements of the anesthetized animal. The responses to light mechanical peripheral sensory stimuli (blocks of 100 stimuli, each single stimulus being <1 ms and interblock intervals of 1.5–4 s) have been analyzed. We found 150–250 ms delayed cortical responses from fast finger touches, often spread to nearby motor stations. We also evaluated the grid electrical stimulus interference with somatotopic natural tactile sensory processing showing no suppressing interference with sensory stimulus detection. In conclusion, we propose a chronically implantable epicortical grid which can accommodate most of current technological restrictions, representing an acceptable candidate for BMI experimental and clinical uses.

Highlights

It is almost 50 years that brain-machine interfaces (BMI) are used both in research and in the clinics (Lebedev and Nicolelis, 2006; Graimann et al, 2010; Borton et al, 2013; Wenger et al, 2014) with an expanding range of applications and a growing complexity of exploited tasks
We show here the electrophysiological results obtained by the epicortical grid in the monkey
In deep anesthesia with the animal secured to a stereotaxic frame, a craniotomy was performed over the left motor cortex (M1) in Brodmann area 4 and, posteriorly, gyrus of the corresponding primary somatosensory cortex (SS1) removing a rectangular (3 × 2.5 cm) bone tile

Summary

Introduction

It is almost 50 years that brain-machine interfaces (BMI) are used both in research and in the clinics (Lebedev and Nicolelis, 2006; Graimann et al, 2010; Borton et al, 2013; Wenger et al, 2014) with an expanding range of applications and a growing complexity of exploited tasks. A cooperative, not merely additive, model of brain operation modes turns to be a greater hurdle in completing integrative devices upscaling in complexity, a matter still far from a rigorous understanding (Baranauskas, 2014) though promising preliminary results (Ifft et al, 2012). Along with these functional requirements, a compliant neural interface has to meet constraints of biological tolerability in order to reduce or block adverse responses from hosting tissues (Groothuis et al, 2014). In the second series the recording properties from the sensory cortical potentials elicited by peripheral electrical and natural stimuli, as well as the electrical interference on the naturally evoked stimuli have been estimated

Methods

Results

Conclusion