Compliant adhesive cuff electrode for selective stimulation in rat vagus nerve

Mats Forssell, Gary K. Fedder, Michael Sciullo, Chenchen Mou, Fan Sun, Tyler W. Simpson, Gutian Xiao, Lee E. Fisher, Christopher Bettinger, Charles C. Horn

Abstract: This paper describes the design of a peripheral nerve cuff electrodes used to stimulate the rat vagus nerve. Multiple electrodes on the circumference of the cuff allow for selective stimulation of the nerve, targeting different functional pathways, including those involved in inflammatory, cardiac, and metabolic diseases. Our approach was verified by stimulating the cervical vagus while recording propagated action potentials to the abdominal vagus nerve. The flexible probe adjusts to the diameter of the nerve, with a robust electrode contact maintained by an adhesive hydrogel.