Biomedical engineering in heart-brain medicine: a review.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Medicine

Background:

• Emerging research investigates electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves for treating depression, heart failure, and hypertension.
• Selective modulation of renal sympathetic nerve activity is a target for resistant hypertension.
• Nerve bundles transmit diverse signals, necessitating technologies for selective nerve fiber stimulation or blockade.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential of electrical stimulation for treating various medical conditions.
• To highlight the need for technologies enabling selective nerve fiber targeting.
• To emphasize the role of mathematical modeling in device development and understanding physiological interactions.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent reports on electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves.
• Discussion of mathematical modeling as a tool for technology development.
• Exploration of quantitative characterization of heart-brain interactions.

Main Results:

• Peripheral nerve electrical stimulation is being explored for depression, heart failure, and hypertension.
• Selective abolition of renal sympathetic nerve activity is feasible.
• Mathematical modeling is crucial for developing targeted nerve stimulation technologies.

Conclusions:

• Targeted electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves offers therapeutic potential for multiple conditions.
• Advanced modeling is essential for selective nerve fiber modulation and understanding complex physiological systems.
• Automated control of therapeutic devices may be an eventual outcome.