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Recruitment of upper-limb motoneurons with epidural electrical stimulation of the cervical spinal cord

Author

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  • Nathan Greiner

    (Center for Neuroprosthetics and Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    University of Fribourg)

  • Beatrice Barra

    (University of Fribourg)

  • Giuseppe Schiavone

    (Bertarelli Foundation Chair in Neuroprosthetic Technology, Laboratory for Soft Bioelectronics Interface, Institute of Microengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, Centre for Neuroprosthetics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

  • Henri Lorach

    (Center for Neuroprosthetics and Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore))

  • Nicholas James

    (Center for Neuroprosthetics and Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL))

  • Sara Conti

    (University of Fribourg)

  • Melanie Kaeser

    (University of Fribourg)

  • Florian Fallegger

    (Bertarelli Foundation Chair in Neuroprosthetic Technology, Laboratory for Soft Bioelectronics Interface, Institute of Microengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, Centre for Neuroprosthetics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

  • Simon Borgognon

    (Center for Neuroprosthetics and Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    University of Fribourg)

  • Stéphanie Lacour

    (Bertarelli Foundation Chair in Neuroprosthetic Technology, Laboratory for Soft Bioelectronics Interface, Institute of Microengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, Centre for Neuroprosthetics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

  • Jocelyne Bloch

    (Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore)
    Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL))

  • Grégoire Courtine

    (Center for Neuroprosthetics and Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (NeuroRestore)
    Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL))

  • Marco Capogrosso

    (University of Fribourg
    University of Pittsburgh
    University of Pittsburgh)

Abstract

Epidural electrical stimulation (EES) of lumbosacral sensorimotor circuits improves leg motor control in animals and humans with spinal cord injury (SCI). Upper-limb motor control involves similar circuits, located in the cervical spinal cord, suggesting that EES could also improve arm and hand movements after quadriplegia. However, the ability of cervical EES to selectively modulate specific upper-limb motor nuclei remains unclear. Here, we combined a computational model of the cervical spinal cord with experiments in macaque monkeys to explore the mechanisms of upper-limb motoneuron recruitment with EES and characterize the selectivity of cervical interfaces. We show that lateral electrodes produce a segmental recruitment of arm motoneurons mediated by the direct activation of sensory afferents, and that muscle responses to EES are modulated during movement. Intraoperative recordings suggested similar properties in humans at rest. These modelling and experimental results can be applied for the development of neurotechnologies designed for the improvement of arm and hand control in humans with quadriplegia.

Suggested Citation

  • Nathan Greiner & Beatrice Barra & Giuseppe Schiavone & Henri Lorach & Nicholas James & Sara Conti & Melanie Kaeser & Florian Fallegger & Simon Borgognon & Stéphanie Lacour & Jocelyne Bloch & Grégoire , 2021. "Recruitment of upper-limb motoneurons with epidural electrical stimulation of the cervical spinal cord," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-20703-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20703-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Yongheng Fan & Xianming Wu & Sufang Han & Qi Zhang & Zheng Sun & Bing Chen & Xiaoyu Xue & Haipeng Zhang & Zhenni Chen & Man Yin & Zhifeng Xiao & Yannan Zhao & Jianwu Dai, 2023. "Single-cell analysis reveals region-heterogeneous responses in rhesus monkey spinal cord with complete injury," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-20, December.

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