Publication Date
2018
Document Type
Thesis
Committee Members
Sherif Elbasiouny, Ph.D., P.E. (Advisor); Mark Rich, M.D., Ph.D. (Committee Member); Ulas Sunar, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Degree Name
Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering (MSBME)
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by the death of motoneurons. Life expectancy is only 3-5 years from diagnosis and current treatments only extend survival by 2-3 months. The mechanism of motoneuron death in ALS is still largely unknown, but abnormal motoneuron excitability has been extensively documented. Because the intrinsic excitability of a motoneuron is a defining measure of its normal function, characterizing and regulating motoneuron excitability has become one of the primary aims of ALS research. Although not previously explored in ALS, other clinical applications show the ability of certain electroceutical techniques to modulate the baseline of motor excitability long-term. The aim of this thesis is to determine the plausibility of electroceutical therapy as a technique for regulating motoneuron excitability in ALS by testing its effects on the SOD1-G93A high copy mouse model. Specifically, transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS) is applied to the lumbar spinal cord of the awake transgenic mice. tsDCS is applied for 30 minutes daily over multiple weeks, beginning at symptom onset. A sham treatment group acts as the control against two stimulation groups: anodal (dorsal-to-ventral field) and cathodal (ventral-to- dorsal field). Treatment effects are measured on weight loss rate, motor function decline, and survival. The data show that our tsDCS protocol was unable to impact disease progression in any of these measures. While this preliminary study shows a lack of promise for electroceutical therapy as an effective ALS treatment, our novel approach of applying long-lasting and noninvasive electrical stimulation on awake mice led to significant technical limitations that may have contributed to the lack of predicted effects. Alternative methods should be considered to address these technical limitations before electroceuticals are concluded ineffective in ALS.
Page Count
45
Department or Program
Department of Biomedical, Industrial & Human Factors Engineering
Year Degree Awarded
2018
Copyright
Copyright 2018, all rights reserved. My ETD will be available under the "Fair Use" terms of copyright law.
