Document Type

Thesis

Publication Date

2014

Disciplines

Biology

Advisor

Jennifer Schaefer

Abstract

Spinal Cord Injury is a devastating injury that has drastic effects on an individual’s daily living activities. The current devices and methods of direct muscle, peripheral nerve cuff, and epidural stimulation are bulky, easily fatigable, require large stimulation parameters, and/ or difficult to use. Intraspinal Micro stimulation (ISMS) suggests a more fatigue resistant method at lower stimulation parameters that will help restore locomotion, bladder control, and sexual function in an individual. The research conducted herein shows ISMS evokes a linear positive relationship between stimulus strength and muscle contraction force that is comparable to clinically used methods of Intramuscular stimulation. Research has also shown that fatigue resistance appears to be similar in the two stimulation parameters. The study concludes that ISMS compares to clinically used methods and therefore suggests potential of this method to help Spinal Cord Injury victims to help aid in activities of daily living.

Comments

Readers: Clark Cotton, Manuel Campos, William Lamberts

Download

Included in

Biology Commons

Share

COinS