Patterned stimulation to selectively activate targeted brain structures

Electrical stimulation of specific structures in the brain has been widely used in the clinical setting to treat various neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. However, it has been shown that micro-stimulation evokes wide spread downstream neuronal activation, losing its specificity. We are developing finite-element-model-based stimulation strategies to shape downstream neural activity, with the goal being to increase the specificity of micro-stimulation.

Sub/intra-cortical microstimulation is essential for delivering sensory feedback in neural prosthetic applications. However, it has been shown that micro-stimulation evokes wide spread downstream neuronal activation, losing its specificity.