Flexible circumferential bioelectronics to enable 360-degree recording and stimulation of the spinal cord

Abstract

The spinal cord is crucial for transmitting motor and sensory information between the brain and peripheral systems. Spinal cord injuries can lead to severe consequences, including paralysis and autonomic dysfunction. We introduce thin-film, flexible electronics for circumferential interfacing with the spinal cord. This method enables simultaneous recording and stimulation of dorsal, lateral, and ventral tracts with a single device. Our findings include successful motor and sensory signal capture and elicitation in anesthetized rats, a proof-of-concept closed-loop system for bridging complete spinal cord injuries, and device safety verification in freely moving rodents. Moreover, we demonstrate potential for human application through a cadaver model. This method sees a clear route to the clinic by using materials and surgical practices that mitigate risk during implantation and preserve cord integrity.

An active electronic bidirectional interface for high resolution interrogation of the spinal cord

“…Recently, EES has been used in preclinical research settings to study central, peripheral, autonomic, and sensorimotor function (Calvert et al, 2023; Capogrosso et al, 2016; Gad et al, 2014; Musienko et al, 2012; Parker et al, 2013), as well as in clinical research settings to restore sensorimotor function following a spinal cord injury or amputation (Chandrasekaran et al, 2020; Lorach et al, 2023; Nanivadekar et al, 2023; Rowald et al, 2022). In parallel, epidural spinal recordings obtained through EES leads have been used as control signals for pain therapies (Nijhuis et al, 2023), to study voluntary movement control (Burke et al, 2021), and to examine somatosensory evoked spinal potentials (SEPs) (Nainzadeh et al, 1988; Woodington et al, 2024). However, all prior research studies and clinical applications utilize passive electronics, which constrains the number of contacts to a maximum of 32 channels, resulting in limited selectivity during stimulation and resolution during recording.…”