13 weeks x 3 Lecture hours per week (2 hours on Mondays, 1 hour on Wednesdays)

Target students are senior biomedical physiology, kinesiology, behavioral neuroscience and biomedical engineering majors interested in

1) The human body’s intrinsic capacity and physiological limitations for recovery from severe neurological trauma or disease that cause paralysis, movement disorders and/or sensory deficits

2) Current and emerging approaches to restore, augment or replace the functions of affected muscles or organs

3) Insights on clinical trials, regulatory requirements & commercialization pathways for innovative therapies.

The course explores a wide range of rehabilitation options as well as their risks, ethics, costs and benefits.

Emphasis will be placed on advanced neuroprosthetic therapies that use targeted electrical stimulation to protect, restore or enhance voluntary control of basic functions and/or support independence in activities of daily living.

TOPICS:           Review of neuromuscular mechanisms for normal movement control

Pathologies that affect sensory and motor functions

Brain, spinal cord, spinal roots, peripheral nerves, muscles; somatic & autonomic

Capacity for self-repair and regeneration after injury of peripheral vs. central neural systems

Classification standards for impairment vs. disability

Approaches to restoring or replacing lost or diminished neuromuscular function

      Physiotherapy - pharmacotherapy - surgical reconstruction - targeted electrical stimulation

Neural prostheses

      Guidelines for safe and effective electrical stimulation of excitable tissues

Approaches designed for temporary or permanent interfacing with the nervous system

External vs. partially implanted vs. fully implanted neurostimulation systems

Neuromodulation for treatment of chronic pain, movement disorders or other neurological disorders

Preventing or restoring impaired motor/sensory function with functional electrical stimulation

Neuroprosthetic approaches for voluntary control of artificial limbs

Open-loop vs. closed-loop control

Tapping available command signal sources for prosthesis control

Sensors and sensory feedback sources for prosthesis control

The path to commercialization of therapeutic innovations

      R&D, funding sources, pre-clinical & clinical validation of safety & efficacy, regulatory approval

Determinants of commercial viability and market success

Functionality vs. availability vs. cost: meeting expectations of patients, physicians and payers

Acute vs. chronic consequences of neurological injury or disease

Assessment of functional loss

Ø  Describe differences and similarities in the regenerative capacity of peripheral neurons vs. central neurons after injury.

Ø  Describe reasons for differences in the acute and chronic consequences of brain injuries.

Ø  Discuss current classification standards for impairment vs. disability after injury or disease.

Ø  Design basic therapeutic plans for restoring or replacing lost neuromuscular functions using physiotherapy, pharmacotherapy, reconstructive surgery and/or targeted electrical stimulation.

Ø  Apply accepted guidelines for safe and effective electrical stimulation of excitable tissues.

Ø  Assess the relative benefits and drawbacks of neurostimulation systems that use external vs. partially implanted vs. fully implanted components.

Ø  Describe current uses of neuromodulation for treatment of chronic pain, epilepsy or movement disorders.

Ø  Evaluate possibilities for using neuromodulation to treat additional neurological disorders.

Ø  Describe uses of functional electrical stimulation to protect muscles from disuse atrophy or to rebuild muscle strength in disused muscles.

Ø  Describe neuroprosthetic systems that enhance voluntary control of artificial limbs by amputees.

Ø  Explain the roles and uses of sensors and sensory feedback for prosthesis control.

Ø  Describe regulatory requirements to develop, test and commercialize a therapeutic innovation.

Ø  Analyze the basic determinants of commercial viability and marketing success for a new therapy.

Ø  Apply knowledge learned in class to diagnose and “treat” new patient scenarios in exams.

Ø  Apply knowledge learned in class to evaluate new therapeutic solutions that may be first described in exam questions.

None.