Funding Support for Neural Prosthesis Research

Since its inception, the field of neurosurgery has been challenged by permanent neurological deficits that result from both the natural history of disease and its operative treatment. Over recent years, the field of restorative neurosurgery with ever increasing understanding of stem cell biology and its promise has brought new hope to the possibility of correcting permanent neurological deficits. However, even the most optimistic estimates suggest that clinically beneficial strategies based on stem cell therapies are many years away from large scale application.

An alternative approach is to use neural prosthetic devices as artificial extensions to the body that restore or supplement function of the nervous system lost during disease or injury. These devices may allow disabled individuals the ability to control their own bodies and lead more productive lives. Current examples relevant to neurosurgeons are the cochlear prosthesis and deep brain stimulation devices. Other patient populations that may benefit from neural prostheses include those suffering from spinal cord injuries, head injury, neurodegenerative disorders, and stroke.

Over the past 30 years, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has supported neural prosthesis research on areas that include functional neuromuscular stimulation, deep brain stimulation, multielectrode cuffs for nerve interfaces, cortical microelectrode arrays, biocompatibility of neural interfaces, implantable neural stimulators, and brain/ computer interfaces. Now, neural prosthetic research is supported by a trans-NIH effort involving multiple Institutes and Centers. Among the goals of the effort is to develop totally implantable systems for restoring the motor control and sensory feedback for a paralyzed individual. Future efforts are anticipated to combine subsystems for functional neuromuscular stimulation with neural interfaces that can detect signals in the brain associated with movement.

The future of neural prosthesis research will potentially be impacted by emerging areas such as nanotechnologies, novel bioactive materials, adaptive computational methods for multi-neuron analysis, and technologies that go beyond electrical stimulation of the nervous system to allow controlled inhibition. Several current funding announcements are relevant to work in neural prosthetics. More information about the Neural Prosthesis Program (NPP) can be found at http://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/research/npp/index.htm.

CHARLES Y. LIU, M.D., PH.D.

GRANTS AND RESEARCH FUNDING