Materials and approaches for optical stimulation of the peripheral nervous system

摘要

A variety of methods, devices, systems and arrangements are implemented for stimulation of the peripheral nervous system. Consistent with one embodiment of the present invention, method is implemented in which light-responsive channels or pumps are engineered in a set of motor units that includes motor units of differing physical volumes. Optical stimuli are also provided to the light-responsive channels or pumps at an optical intensity that is a function of the size of motor units to be recruited. In certain implementations, the intensity of the optical stimuli is increased so as to recruit increasingly larger motor units.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
genetically modifying motor neurons of a fast twitch motor unit with a first light-responsive channel or pump having a first optical response profile; genetically modifying motor neurons of a slow twitch motor unit with a second light-responsive channel or pump having a second optical response profile; determining an optical stimulus profile as a function of a recruitment order of the fast twitch motor unit and the slow twitch motor unit wherein the first optical response profile and the second optical profile have peak sensitivities to different wavelengths of light; and providing the optical stimulus profile to the light-responsive channel or pump at a wavelength sufficient to activate the slow twitch motor units without activating the fast twitch motor units.