We are collaborating with Huntington Medical Research Institutes on intraspinal microstimulation to restore bladder and bowel movement, and sexual function after spinal trauma. The goal is to use intraspinal microstimulation to artificially trigger the reflexes of the visceral organs, after the activation of the spinal circuitry from the brain stem is lost due to spinal cord injury or disease. We are currently designing a 32-channel implantable stimulation chip for implantation in the spinal cord. In order to study the effect of stroke on the spinal circuitry, Dr. Pikov has demonstrated a “virtual stroke” method through reversible cortical inactivation. The goal is to observe the effect of “virtual stroke” on the spinal cord through neural recording, during and after the cortical inactivation. We are currently designing a 48-channel implantable neural recording chip for implantation in the spinal cord.
