FNI

Upper Extremity Fascicular Morphology For Nerve Cuff Design

Principal Investigator: Dustin Tyler, Ph.D.

Staff/Students : Crystal Antes, Natalie Brill

Description :
The goal of this research is to determine the organization and orientation of fascicles within nerves of the upper limb. This is accomplished through cadaveric nerve dissections and histological sectioning and imaging of those nerves. We then calculate the cross-sectional areas of fascicles along the length of a nerve. We use this information to trace individual nerve fascicles from the proximal arm to the muscle of innervation. By knowing which fascicles innervate which muscles, we can orient the nerve cuff to provide electrical stimulation to specific muscle groups, thereby moving the arm and hand.

Clinical Significance :
Through knowing the fascicular morphology, we will be able to properly orient nerve cuffs to stimulate specific muscle movement. For those people with damaged nerves, the cuffs will provide an alternative means of stimulating upper limb muscle movement and will allow them to move their arms and hands again.