Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

This course is aimed at students interested in neuromuscular rehabilitation. Students will learn about the pathological origins of movement disorders associated with impaired function of sensory and motor systems. The course will be focused on the stages and strategies for recovery of voluntary control of essential functions. The range of rehabilitation interventions available to assist recovery and restore voluntary control will be explored, with special emphasis on advanced techniques to restore control of movement and bodily functions in paralyzed people.

COURSE DETAILS:

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

Target students are senior biomedical physiology, kinesiology 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 pathway for innovative therapies.  

The course explores a wide range of rehabilitation options and their risks, ethics, costs & 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 

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

 Describe differences and similarities in the regenerative capacity of peripheral neurons vs. central neurons  after injury.   
 Describe reasons for differences in the acute and chronic consequences of brain injuries. 
 Discuss current classification standards for impairment vs. disability after injury or disease. 
 Design basic therapeutic plans for restoring or replacing lost neuromuscular functions using physiotherapy,  pharmacotherapy, reconstructive surgery and/or targeted electrical stimulation. 
 Apply accepted guidelines for safe and effective electrical stimulation of excitable tissues. 
 Assess the relative benefits and drawbacks of neurostimulation systems that use external vs. partially  implanted vs. fully implanted components. 
 Describe current uses of neuromodulation for treatment of chronic pain, epilepsy or movement disorders. 
 Evaluate possibilities for using neuromodulation to treat additional neurological disorders. 
 Describe uses of functional electrical stimulation to protect muscles from disuse atrophy or to rebuild muscle  strength in disused muscles. 
 Describe neuroprosthetic systems that enhance voluntary control of artificial limbs by amputees. 
 Explain the roles and uses of sensors and sensory feedback for prosthesis control. 
 Describe regulatory requirements to develop, test and commercialize a therapeutic innovation. 
 Analyze the basic determinants of commercial viability and marketing success for a new therapy. 
 Apply knowledge learned in class to diagnose and “treat” new patient scenarios in exams. 
 Apply knowledge learned in class to evaluate a new therapeutic solution that may be first described in an  exam question.

Grading

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

RECOMMENDED READING: