Human perception of electrical stimulation on the surface of somatosensory cortex

Authors

Shivayogi V. Hiremath, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Elizabeth C. Tyler-Kabara, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Jesse J. Wheeler, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America.
Daniel W. Moran, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America.
Robert A. Gaunt, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Jennifer L. Collinger, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Stephen T. Foldes, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Douglas J. Weber, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Weidong Chen, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Michael L. Boninger, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Wei Wang, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Recent advancement in electrocorticography (ECoG)-based brain-computer interface technology has sparked a new interest in providing somatosensory feedback using ECoG electrodes, i.e., cortical surface electrodes. We conducted a 28-day study of cortical surface stimulation in an individual with arm paralysis due to brachial plexus injury to examine the sensation produced by electrical stimulation of the somatosensory cortex. A high-density ECoG grid was implanted over the somatosensory and motor cortices. Stimulation through cortical surface electrodes over the somatosensory cortex successfully elicited arm and hand sensations in our participant with chronic paralysis. There were three key findings. First, the intensity of perceived sensation increased monotonically with both pulse amplitude and pulse frequency. Second, changing pulse width changed the type of sensation based on qualitative description provided by the human participant. Third, the participant could distinguish between stimulation applied to two neighboring cortical surface electrodes, 4.5 mm center-to-center distance, for three out of seven electrode pairs tested. Taken together, we found that it was possible to modulate sensation intensity, sensation type, and evoke sensations across a range of locations from the fingers to the upper arm using different stimulation electrodes even in an individual with chronic impairment of somatosensory function. These three features are essential to provide effective somatosensory feedback for neuroprosthetic applications.

Medical Subject Headings

Brain Mapping; Brain-Computer Interfaces; Electric Stimulation; Electrodes; Electrodes, Implanted; Humans; Somatosensory Cortex (physiology)

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Publication Title

PloS one

E-ISSN

1932-6203

Volume

12

Issue

5

First Page

e0176020

PubMed ID

28489913

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0176020

Recommended Citation

Hiremath, Shivayogi V.; Tyler-Kabara, Elizabeth C.; Wheeler, Jesse J.; Moran, Daniel W.; Gaunt, Robert A.; Collinger, Jennifer L.; Foldes, Stephen T.; Weber, Douglas J.; Chen, Weidong; Boninger, Michael L.; and Wang, Wei, "Human perception of electrical stimulation on the surface of somatosensory cortex" (2017). Translational Neuroscience. 2204.
https://scholar.barrowneuro.org/neurobiology/2204