研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn),，一種電化學(xué)方法既可局部刺激神經(jīng)又可阻止電信號(hào)沿神經(jīng)纖維的傳播，從而將副作用最小化,，新成果發(fā)表在10月在線出版的《自然—材料學(xué)》上,。這種在青蛙身上獲得的概念驗(yàn)證顯示，未來(lái)有可能研制出一種可環(huán)繞神經(jīng)細(xì)胞的低能,、柔性的神經(jīng)義肢裝置,。 因中風(fēng)、脊柱受傷或其他神經(jīng)功能失調(diào)而罹患麻痹的患者可接受功能電刺激,，以激活受傷的運(yùn)動(dòng)神經(jīng)并進(jìn)行物理治療,。然而，傳統(tǒng)的運(yùn)動(dòng)神經(jīng)刺激方法會(huì)導(dǎo)致疼痛,，因?yàn)樗褂玫碾娏饕矔?huì)影響到鄰近的敏感神經(jīng)細(xì)胞,。Jongyoon Han和同事合作，用對(duì)鈣,、鉀和鈉離子具有選擇性的外膜包裹微型電極陣列,，并用這種電極在試管中對(duì)青蛙的坐骨神經(jīng)的興奮性進(jìn)行調(diào)節(jié)。鈣、鉀和鈉離子與神經(jīng)沖動(dòng)有關(guān),，對(duì)這些局部離子濃度進(jìn)行電子調(diào)控讓研究人員能夠控制刺激處的神經(jīng)元活性,，并能按需求抑制信號(hào)的傳播。此外,，這種方法還能降低電化閾值,、引導(dǎo)神經(jīng)抽搐增加40%。盡管這種方法可應(yīng)用于可植入神經(jīng)義肢,，作者指出還需要進(jìn)一步的工作以證明這種方法在活體中的有效性,，并將實(shí)驗(yàn)拓展到哺乳類(lèi)動(dòng)物。（生物谷 Bioon.com） doi:10.1038/nmat3146 PMC: PMID: Electrochemical activation and inhibition of neuromuscular systems through modulation of ion concentrations with ion-selective membranes Yong-Ak Song,1, 2 Rohat Melik,1, 2 Amr N. Rabie,3, 4 Ahmed M. S. Ibrahim,3 David Moses,5 Ara Tan,6 Jongyoon Han1, 2 & Samuel J. Lin3 Conventional functional electrical stimulation aims to restore functional motor activity of patients with disabilities resulting from spinal cord injury or neurological disorders. However, intervention with functional electrical stimulation in neurological diseases lacks an effective implantable method that suppresses unwanted nerve signals. We have developed an electrochemical method to activate and inhibit a nerve by electrically modulating ion concentrations in situ along the nerve. Using ion-selective membranes to achieve different excitability states of the nerve, we observe either a reduction of the electrical threshold for stimulation by up to approximately 40%, or voluntary, reversible inhibition of nerve signal propagation. This low-threshold electrochemical stimulation method is applicable in current implantable neuroprosthetic devices, whereas the on-demand nerve-blocking mechanism could offer effective clinical intervention in disease states caused by uncontrolled nerve activation, such as epilepsy and chronic pain syndromes.