Abstract
Alternative paradigm for spatial and fibre-type selective vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) was developed using realistic structural topography and tested in an isolated segment of a porcine cervical left vagus nerve (LVN). A spiral cuff (cuff) containing a matrix of ninety-nine electrodes was developed for selective VNS. A quasitrapezoidal stimulating pulse (stimulus) was applied to the LVN via an appointed group of three electrodes (triplet). The triplet and stimulus were configured to predominantly stimulate the B-fibres, minimizing stimulation of the A-fibres and by-passing the stimulation of the C-fibres. To assess which fibres made the most probable contribution to the neural response (NR) during selective VNS, the distribution of conduction velocity (CV) within the LVN was considered. Experimental testing of the paradigm showed the existence of certain parameters and waveforms of the stimulus, for which the contribution of the A-fibres to the NR was slightly reduced and that of the B-fibres was slightly enlarged. The cuff provided satisfactory fascicle discrimination in selective VNS as well as satisfactory fascicle discrimination during NR recording. However, in the present stage of development, fibre-type VNS remained rather limited.
Highlights
In recent decades, considerable scientific and technological efforts have been devoted to the development of neuroprostheses that interface the human autonomic nervous system with electronic implantable devices
This paper presents the hypothesis concerning both selective activation of B-fibres and selective recording of neural response (NR), wherein both stimulation and recording were performed in a single fascicle with a single-part ninety-nine-electrode cuff fitted around an isolated porcine left vagus nerve (LVN) and maintained at physiological temperature in oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid
NRpeak was obtained at the top of the bell-shaped NR in the cathodic phase of the stimulus, whereas NRw was made at 50% of NRpeak
Summary
Considerable scientific and technological efforts have been devoted to the development of neuroprostheses that interface the human autonomic nervous system with electronic implantable devices. Particular attention has been paid to VNS techniques that are to be used to treat, among others, a number of nervous system disorders, neuropsychiatric disorders, eating disorders, sleep disorders, cardiac disorders, endocrine disorders, and pain [1,2,3,4,5]. For instance, such as hypertension and congestive heart failure, cardiac vagal activity is diminished and unresponsive. Numerous studies have proposed VNS as a method for treating various heart conditions, including supraventricular arrhythmias, angina pectoris, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, myocardial ischemia, and variant angina (spastic coronary arteries) [2, 7,8,9,10,11,12]
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