An implantable 5mW/channel dual-wavelength optogenetic stimulator for therapeutic neuromodulation research

Abstract

While serving as the core technology of many neurological therapies, electrical stimulation suffers from several drawbacks. Constraints on electrode geometry and placement can result in an inability to modulate specific neural populations, and stimulation of non-target networks can cause undesirable side-effects. Conducting electrodes in tissue can also restrict the level of tolerated EM exposure from modalities like MRI and electrosurgery, and large stimulation currents can undermine the ability to simultaneously sense underlying neural activity when implementing a closed-loop therapy system [1]. These drawbacks motivate the need for exploring alternative techniques to therapeutically modulate neural network activity.