Selective stimulation on nerve fibers by using high-frequency blocking technique

Traditional neural stimulation method recruits the muscle nerves in a reverse order of physiologic manner, i.e., can not recruit small diameter nerve fibers without recruiting large diameter ones. However, high frequency blocking technique is a feasible method for achieving selective stimulation and blocking nerve fibers. The aim of the study is to establish an animal model for studying order recruitment by using high frequency blocking investigation. In this study, a nerve cuff electrode was mounted on sciatic nerve with which two channel of stimulus was delivered for stimulation as well as for high frequency blocking investigation. Furthermore, a torque measurement system was established for assessing the stimulation or blocking performance in this study. Our results shows that varied levels of blocking current can produce gradual change in the blocking effect from 8% of residual torque to more than 90% of maximal torque output. In muscle fatigue test, our results proved that high frequency blocking technique could achieve selective stimulation of smaller nerve fibers and blocking of larger fibers.