Researchers at Rice University have developed groundbreaking open-source software that utilizes personalized computer models to optimize treatments for neurologic and orthopedic mobility impairments. The Neuromusculoskeletal Modeling (NMSM) Pipeline software, funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, is now available for clinician/engineer teams to incorporate computer-aided engineering into clinical treatment design.
This innovative software has the potential to revolutionize the design of treatments for conditions such as stroke, osteoarthritis, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, limb amputation, and even certain types of cancer. By creating personalized computer models of a patient’s neuromusculoskeletal system using their pre-treatment movement data, clinicians and engineers can predict and optimize the patient’s functional outcome for different treatment designs.
B.J. Fregly, a professor of mechanical engineering and bioengineering at Rice University and the lead developer of the NMSM Pipeline, explains that the software overcomes the reliance on subjective predictions by providing explicit and objective predictions. With the ability to weed out ineffective or harmful treatments and generate highly effective alternatives, this software has the potential to transform the field of clinical treatment design.
The NMSM Pipeline integrates various physiological models, including those of central nervous system control, muscle force generation, and metabolic energy expenditure. By analyzing electromyographic (muscle electrical activity) data collected during human movement, the software provides insights into the coordination of muscle activity and the impact of movement impairments such as stroke.
The software harnesses the power of synergy controls, where the central nervous system coordinates a small number of muscle groups to generate motion. For stroke rehabilitation, the goal is to help patients recover the lost synergies and regain movement. While this aspect of the software is still being perfected, researchers are close to predicting how to train a patient’s brain to achieve this goal.
The NMSM Pipeline is also expected to aid in treatment decisions for pelvic cancer surgery. With the ability to create personalized computer models of patients and predict post-surgery walking function, clinicians can make informed surgical plans to maximize each patient’s walking ability after surgery.
Drawing a parallel with the clinical use of computational simulation tool HeartFlow, which determines optimal stent placement for cardiac procedures, Fregly envisions the NMSM Pipeline being used to inform treatment design for movement impairments.
To encourage the research community to use the software, Fregly and his team have initiated a four-year competition at the annual conference of the American Society of Biomechanics. The competition challenges researchers to develop personalized treatments to enhance walking function in individuals who have had a stroke. By providing experimental walking data from different individuals each year, the competition aims to promote the use of personalized models for treatment design and optimization.
The development of the NMSM Pipeline highlights the potential for open-source software to transform medical research and treatment design. By leveraging personalized computer models and predictive algorithms, clinicians and engineers can now optimize treatments for patients with neurologic and orthopedic mobility impairments, enhancing their chances of recovery and improving their quality of life.
