Numerical simulation of multipolar configuration and prepulse technique to obtain spatially reverse recruitment order

In the context of functional electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves, the control of a specific motor or sensory functions may need selective stimulation to target the desired effect without others. In implanted stimulation, spatial selectivity is obtained using multipolar CUFF electrodes with specific spread of the current over each contact. Furthermore, electrical stimulation recruits large fibers before small ones, whereas the targeted function could be elicited by a specific fiber type i.e. fiber diameter. In our work, numerical simulations were used to investigate the combination of multipolar configuration and prepulses, in order to obtain spatially reverse recruitment order. Multipolar stimulation provides efficient spatial selectivity, whereas sub-threshold prepulses were used to reverse recruitment order with a reasonable increase of the injected charges. We compared several selective configurations combined with prepulses to show that some are able to guarantee both the spatial selectivity while one fiber's diameter can be preferentially activated.