Biology subjects

Schiavone, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Schiavone, G..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Cyclic voltammetry electropolymerization of PEDOT: Polydopamine on gold electrodes

This work presents a facile and rapid fabrication method for high-performance bioelectrode coatings through electropolymerization of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and polydopamine (PDA). Expanding on previous work, we develop a cyclic voltammetry electropolymerization process to deposit PEDOT:PDA coatings on 2 mm gold electrode substrates. The coatings exhibit a 40-fold increase in cathodic charge storage capacity (~ 40mC{middle dot}cm-2) and significant impedance modulus reduction compared to uncoated gold electrodes. Morphological characterization revealed a uniformly porous surface that corroborates the enhancement in electrochemical performance. Our scalable approach offers a promising option to fabricate bioelectrodes for application to neural interfaces and implantable and wearable bioelectronics. Clinical RelevanceThe improved electrochemical performance and scalable fabrication of PEDOT:PDA coatings support their potential to enhance the stability and signal quality of neural and implantable bioelectronic devices.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2020

Electrical Stimulation Of The Cervical Dorsal Roots Enables Functional Arm And Hand Movements In Monkeys With Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

Recovering arm control is a top priority for people with paralysis. Unfortunately, the complexity of the neural mechanisms underlying arm control practically limited the effectiveness of neurotechnology approaches. Here, we exploited the neural function of surviving spinal circuits to restore voluntary arm and hand control in three monkeys with spinal cord injury using spinal cord stimulation. Our neural interface leverages the functional organization of the dorsal roots to convey artificial excitation via electrical stimulation to relevant spinal segments at appropriate movement phases. Stimulation bursts targeting specific spinal segments produced sustained arm movements enabling monkeys with arm paralysis to perform an unconstrained reach-and-grasp task. Stimulation specifically improved strength, task performances and movement quality. Electrophysiology suggested that residual descending inputs were necessary to produce coordinated movements. The efficacy and reliability of our approach hold realistic promises of clinical translation.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2020

RECRUITMENT OF UPPER-LIMB MOTONEURONS WITH EPIDURAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION OF THE PRIMATE CERVICAL SPINAL CORD

Epidural electrical stimulation (EES) of lumbosacral sensorimotor circuits improves leg motor control in animals and humans with spinal cord injury (SCI). Upper-limb motor control involves similar circuits, located in the cervical spinal cord, suggesting that EES could also improve arm and hand movements after quadriplegia. However, the ability of cervical EES to selectively modulate specific upper-limb motor nuclei remains unclear. Here, we combined a realistic computational model of EES of the cervical spinal cord with experiments in macaque monkeys to explore the mechanisms of this modulation and characterize the recruitment selectivity of cervical stimulation interfaces. Our results indicate that interfaces with lateral electrodes can target individual posterior roots and achieve selective modulation of arm motoneurons via the direct recruitment of pre-synaptic pathways. Intraoperative recordings suggested similar properties in humans. These results provide a framework for the design of neuro-technologies to improve arm and hand control in humans with quadriplegia.

bioengineering↗