Development of a Small, Low-Power, Real-Time Phase-Dependent Neuromodulation System

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Neuromodulation

Background:

• Neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders involve abnormal neural oscillations disrupting brain function.
• Phase-dependent stimulation (PDS) offers precise therapeutic intervention by synchronizing with neural oscillations.
• Clinical PDS adoption is limited by real-time phase detection, stimulation management, and hardware adaptability challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a unified, closed-loop phase-dependent neuromodulation system.
• To address technological challenges hindering PDS clinical adoption using adaptive System-on-Chip and FPGA technology.
• To optimize, integrate, and validate a PDS technique within an advanced hardware framework.

Main Methods:

• Leveraged adaptive System-on-Chip and Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology for real-time processing.
• Developed a closed-loop system for phase-dependent neuromodulation.
• Evaluated device performance using simulated signals and intraoperative cortical/subcortical recordings, assessing latency and accuracy.

Main Results:

• The developed device demonstrated high accuracy and low latency in targeting specific stimulation phases.
• The system successfully sent stimulation commands in sync with target neural oscillation phases.
• The device maintained performance over extended periods in real-time closed-loop operation.

Conclusions:

• The unified, closed-loop PDS system effectively addresses key technological barriers for clinical application.
• This hardware-based approach offers a precise, adaptable, and potentially safer neuromodulation therapy.
• The technology holds significant potential for transforming treatments for brain disorders characterized by network dysfunction.