A neural interface provides long-term stable natural touch perception
Daniel W Tan, Matthew A Schiefer, Michael W Keith, James Robert Anderson, Joyce Tyler, Dustin J Tyler, Daniel W Tan, Matthew A Schiefer, Michael W Keith, James Robert Anderson, Joyce Tyler, Dustin J Tyler
Abstract
Touch perception on the fingers and hand is essential for fine motor control, contributes to our sense of self, allows for effective communication, and aids in our fundamental perception of the world. Despite increasingly sophisticated mechatronics, prosthetic devices still do not directly convey sensation back to their wearers. We show that implanted peripheral nerve interfaces in two human subjects with upper limb amputation provided stable, natural touch sensation in their hands for more than 1 year. Electrical stimulation using implanted peripheral nerve cuff electrodes that did not penetrate the nerve produced touch perceptions at many locations on the phantom hand with repeatable, stable responses in the two subjects for 16 and 24 months. Patterned stimulation intensity produced a sensation that the subjects described as natural and without "tingling," or paresthesia. Different patterns produced different types of sensory perception at the same location on the phantom hand. The two subjects reported tactile perceptions they described as natural tapping, constant pressure, light moving touch, and vibration. Changing average stimulation intensity controlled the size of the percept area; changing stimulation frequency controlled sensation strength. Artificial touch sensation improved the subjects' ability to control grasping strength of the prosthesis and enabled them to better manipulate delicate objects. Thus, electrical stimulation through peripheral nerve electrodes produced long-term sensory restoration after limb loss.
Conflict of interest statement
Competing interests: D.J.T. is Founder and President of Bear Software, LLC. D.J.T. is an inventor on the patent entitled “The flat interface nerve electrode and a method for use” (US6456866 B1); Case Western Reserve University holds the patents on this technology. D.W.T., M.A.S., and D.J.T. are named inventors on a provisional patent on the stimulation paradigm described in the paper, which is jointly held by Case Western Reserve University and the Louis-Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.
Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
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Source: PubMed