Gait regulation using monopolar intraspinal micro-stimulation of spinal cord central pattern generator: New insights for improving Hodgkin–Huxley model

Abstract

Restoring the motor function of paralyzed limbs has always been an important aim in the field of biomedical engineering. In view of the discovery of the repeatable experimental phenomenon that positive and negative stimulation pulses applied to specific points, identified as central pattern generator (CPG) sites, could induce switching of the movement patterns of bilateral hindlimbs, an improved Hodgkin–Huxley (HH) neuron model was established by introducing the electric field effect principle. A CPG neural network model comprising 12 neural units in six joints of the bilateral hindlimbs was modeled. The simulation results showed the alternating movement patterns of the bilateral hindlimbs through the action potential release of extensor and flexor neurons. The explosive electromyogram of the gastrocnemius (GM) and quadriceps femoris (QF) when stimulating the CPG sites with intraspinal micro-stimulation (ISMS) was consistent with the action potential diagram of the flexor and extensor neurons obtained via simulation. Our research considers the neural network model of electric field radiation, which can facilitate a deep understanding of the dynamic characteristics of neurons in the electric field environment, and verifies the correlation between the location of CPG sites, stimulus polarity and movement patterns to induce alternating left–right coordinated movements.