The lab of Dr. Grill focuses on finding a solution to chronic pain in the legs by using a technique called spinal cord stimulation. In spinal cord stimulation, an electrode is attached to the spinal cord and pulses of electricity are administered by the electrode. This electrical signaling is able to block the firing of the neurons which stops the pain signal from propagating up to the brain. However, there is still much to be discovered in the realm of spinal cord stimulation. For instance, the parameters of stimulation are not quite known in humans. There are only accepted values of frequency and amplitude of the waves that need to be improved to get better end results. Also, this treatment only works about half of the time, so the focus of the lab is to improve spinal cord stimulation.
In the lab, I am creating a model that first sees how a test pulse looks as it is administered at one end of a neuron bundle as detected by a recording electrode. This is to act as a control for the next part of my model which is to see how nerve fibers can be activated and blocked by an electrode undergoing spinal cord stimulation. We know what the output for the test pulse is supposed to look like for the model, but the model where the fibers are activated by an electrode administering periodic pulses is still unknown. The research that I am doing will help the lab understand how neuron fibers are activated and blocked at different amplitudes and frequencies which will be translated into knowing what to look for in animal experiments.
However this summer, I am not modeling electrical pulses through the nerves of the spine. I am also sectioning and staining tissue so that we can see where the electrodes touched the spinal cord. This histology will allow us to replicate where we go the best results of spinal cord stimulation and keep records of the research being done if the results are necessary in the future.
I am excited to continue working and doing all that I can to help with the quest to create a better way to treat chronic pain.
