Effects of the choice of reference on the selectivity of a multi-contact nerve cuff electrode

Tripolar referencing is typically used in nerve cuff electrode recordings due to its ability to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio of contacts at the centre, but this may not be the optimal choice for a multi-contact nerve cuff consisting of contacts in off-centre rings. We conducted a simulation study to compare the effects of 3 different reference types on the recording selectivity of a multi-contact nerve cuff: the tripolar reference (TPR), common average reference (CAR), and multiple tripolar references based on consecutive groups of 3 rings (cTPR). For this purpose, we introduce a novel measure called the contact information metric (CIM). Selectivity was tested in 2 noise settings, one in which white Gaussian noise was added inside the nerve cuff electrode and the other in which electromyogram (EMG) noise was added outside the nerve cuff electrode. The mean CIMs values calculated for the best 8 contacts were 3.42±6.25, 2.70±3.37, and 3.65±1.90 for the TPR, the CAR and the cTPR, respectively, in the case of EMG noise added outside the nerve cuff electrode. This study shows that the use of cTPR reference is the optimal choice for selectivity when using a multi-contact nerve cuff electrode which contains off-centre rings.

[1]  Dominique M. Durand,et al.  Selective recording of the canine hypoglossal nerve using a multicontact flat interface nerve electrode , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[2]  T Stieglitz,et al.  Use of an Experimentally Derived Leadfield in the Peripheral Nerve Pathway Discrimination Problem , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[3]  Johannes J. Struijk,et al.  Tripolar nerve cuff recording: stimulus artifact, EMG and the recorded nerve signal , 1995, Proceedings of 17th International Conference of the Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.

[4]  N. Donaldson,et al.  Multiple-electrode nerve cuffs for low-velocity and velocity-selective neural recording , 2004, Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing.

[5]  Reid R. Harrison,et al.  Recording sensory and motor information from peripheral nerves with Utah Slanted Electrode Arrays , 2011, 2011 Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.

[6]  Dustin J. Tyler,et al.  Stability and selectivity of a chronic, multi-contact cuff electrode for sensory stimulation in human amputees , 2013, 2013 6th International IEEE/EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering (NER).

[7]  D M Durand,et al.  Modeling study of peripheral nerve recording selectivity. , 2000, IEEE transactions on rehabilitation engineering : a publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.

[8]  D. M. Durand,et al.  Bayesian Spatial Filters for Source Signal Extraction: A Study in the Peripheral Nerve , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[9]  J. Mortimer,et al.  A spiral nerve cuff electrode for peripheral nerve stimulation , 1988, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[10]  Silvestro Micera,et al.  Spatial and Functional Selectivity of Peripheral Nerve Signal Recording With the Transversal Intrafascicular Multichannel Electrode (TIME) , 2016, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[11]  D. Durand,et al.  Chronic Response of the Rat Sciatic Nerve to the Flat Interface Nerve Electrode , 2003, Annals of Biomedical Engineering.

[12]  Christopher T. Clarke,et al.  Improved Signal Processing Methods for Velocity Selective Neural Recording Using Multi-Electrode Cuffs , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems.

[13]  T Stieglitz.  Matrix Cuff Electrodes for Fibre and Fascicle Selective Peripheral Nerve Recording and Stimulation , 2007 .

[14]  R. Stein,et al.  Principles Underlying New Methods for Chronic Neural Recording , 1975, Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques.

[15]  Jose Zariffa,et al.  Bioelectric source localization in peripheral nerves. , 2010 .

[16]  G. E. Loeb,et al.  Analysis and microelectronic design of tubular electrode arrays intended for chronic, multiple singleunit recording from captured nerve fibres , 1977, Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing.

[17]  R. Waters,et al.  Functional electrical stimulation of the peroneal nerve for hemiplegia. Long-term clinical follow-up. , 1985, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume.

[18]  D. Durand,et al.  Functionally selective peripheral nerve stimulation with a flat interface nerve electrode , 2002, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[19]  M.R. Popovic,et al.  Localization of Active Pathways in Peripheral Nerves: A Simulation Study , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[20]  M. Keith,et al.  A neural interface provides long-term stable natural touch perception , 2014, Science Translational Medicine.

[21]  Dinesh K Pai,et al.  Changes in hand muscle synergies in subjects with spinal cord injury: Characterization and functional implications , 2012, The journal of spinal cord medicine.