University of Twente Student Theses
Development of the ThESSA electrode : a thermo-electrical stimulation electrode for nociceptive cutaneous fibers - Exploration of the functionality of a heat conducting intra-epidermal electrical stimulation electrode.
Maan, M.J. (2022) Development of the ThESSA electrode : a thermo-electrical stimulation electrode for nociceptive cutaneous fibers - Exploration of the functionality of a heat conducting intra-epidermal electrical stimulation electrode.
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| Abstract: | Chronic pain is considered to have a major impact in the quality of life and daily activities. Due to lack of a sufficiently sophisticated device, the knowledge of assessing pain is currently limited. Therefore, the need for new and improved treatments is desired. Recently, we developed a thermo-electrical stimulation electrode that was designed to selectively stimulate the nociceptive system. An explorative study is presented in this research to the functionality of this thermal electrical stimulation electrode for the selective activation of nociceptors. The functionality of the electrode was tested with several thermal and impedance measurements, which showed high dependence on the skin’s thermoregulatory system in the temperature measurements and increased electrical conduction of the skin when heat was applied in the impedance measurements. Subsequently, psychophysical exploration was performed on a group of six subjects, who completed normal and heated nociceptive detection threshold tasks (NDT task and H-NDT task, respectively). The research parameters within this exploration were the detection rate, stimulation amplitude and perception of the stimuli. The strength of the thermal stimulus was obtained by completing a subjective heat pain detection threshold (HPDT) task. Application of this temperature during the H-NDT task showed presumed affection of the detection rate. Analysis of the stimulation amplitude was subdivided into initial NDT (NDT0) and slope of the NDT. This explorative study provides the indication of a potential increase of NDT0 during the H-NDT task, although statistical evidence is needed to support these findings. This study had its limitations in the unexpected role of the thermoregulation system of the skin in applying thermo-electrical stimulaton, and the functionality of the software protocol. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | TNW: Science and Technology |
| Subject: | 50 technical science in general |
| Programme: | Biomedical Engineering MSc (66226) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/90487 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
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