Position-selective activation of peripheral nerve fibers with a cuff electrode

The degree of spatial selectivity which can be obtained with longitudinal dot tripoles in an insulating cuff was quantified in terms of the overlap between fiber populations activated by different tripoles. Previous studies have failed to take into account the relative influences of transverse current and longitudinal current on position-selective activation, and furthermore have not controlled for the differing sensitivities of large and small nerve fibers to electrical stimuli. In this study, these factors were taken into account. Transverse current from an anode positioned opposite the stimulating cathode was found to improve spatial selectivity, and selectivity was enhanced when the ratio of transverse current to longitudinal current was increased. Large fibers were excited before small fibers, irrespective of fiber position, indicating a combination of position and size selectivity.