Generating artificial sensations with spinal cord stimulation in primates and rodents amol p. yadav

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Generatingartificialsensationswithspinalcord stimulationinprimatesandrodentsAmolP.Yadav &ShuangyanLi&MaxO.Krucoff&MikhailA. Lebedev&MuhammadM.Abd-El-Barr&MiguelA.L. Nicolelis https://ebookmass.com/product/generating-artificialsensations-with-spinal-cord-stimulation-in-primates-androdents-amol-p-yadav-shuangyan-li-max-o-krucoff-mikhail-alebedev-muhammad-m-abd-el-barr-miguel-a-l-nicolel/

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BrainStimulation14(2021)825 836

Contentslistsavailableat ScienceDirect

BrainStimulation

journalhomepage: http://www.journals.elsevi er.com/brain-stimulation

Generatingartificialsensationswithspinalcordstimulationin primatesandrodents

AmolP.Yadav a, b, *,ShuangyanLi e, m, n,MaxO.Krucoff j, k,MikhailA.Lebedev d, l , MuhammadM.Abd-El-Barr c,MiguelA.L.Nicolelis c, d, e, f, g, h, i

a DepartmentofNeurologicalSurgery,IndianaUniversitySchoolofMedicine,Indianapolis,IN,46202,USA

b PaulandCaroleStarkNeurosciencesResearchInstitute,IndianaUniversitySchoolofMedicine,Indianapolis,IN,46202,USA

c DepartmentofNeurosurgery,DukeUniversity,Durham,NC,27710,USA

d CenterforNeuroengineering,DukeUniversity,Durham,NC,27710,USA

e DepartmentofNeurobiology,DukeUniversity,Durham,NC,27710,USA

f DepartmentofBiomedicalEngineering,DukeUniversity,Durham,NC,27710,USA

g DepartmentofPsychologyandNeuroscience,DukeUniversity,Durham,NC,27710,USA

h DepartmentofNeurology,DukeUniversity,Durham,NC,27710,USA

i EdmondandLilySafraInternationalInstituteofNeuroscience,Natal,59066060,Brazil

j DepartmentofNeurosurgery,MedicalCollegeofWisconsin & FroedtertHealth,Wauwatosa,WI,53226,USA

k DepartmentofBiomedicalEngineering,MarquetteUniversity & MedicalCollegeofWisconsin,Milwaukee,WI,53233,USA

l SkolkovoInstituteofScienceandTechnology,30BolshoyBulvar,Moscow,143026,Russia

m StateKeyLaboratoryofReliabilityandIntelligenceofElectricalEquipment,SchoolofElectricalEngineering,Tianjin,300130,PRChina

n TianjinKeyLaboratoryBioelectromagneticTechnologyandIntelligentHealth,HebeiUniversityofTechnology,Tianjin,300130,PRChina

articleinfo

Articlehistory:

Received24December2020

Receivedinrevisedform

1April2021

Accepted30April2021

Availableonline18May2021

Keywords:

Spinalcordstimulation

Neuroprosthetics

Somatosensation

Artificialsensoryfeedback

Non-humanprimates

abstract

Forpatientswhohavelostsensoryfunctionduetoaneurologicalinjurysuchasspinalcordinjury(SCI), stroke,oramputation,spinalcordstimulation(SCS)mayprovideamechanismforrestoringsomatic sensationsviaanintuitive,non-visualpathway.Inspiredbythisvision,herewetrainedrhesusmonkeys andratstodetectanddiscriminatepatternsofepiduralSCS.Thereafter,weconstructedpsychometric curvesdescribingtherelationshipbetweendifferentSCSparametersandtheanimal'sabilitytodetect SCSand/orchangesinitscharacteristics.Wefoundthatthestimulusdetectionthresholddecreasedwith higherfrequency,longerpulse-width,andincreasingdurationofSCS.Moreover,wefoundthatmonkeys wereabletodiscriminatetemporally-andspatially-varyingpatterns(i.e.variationsinfrequencyand location)ofSCSdeliveredthroughmultipleelectrodes.Additionally,sensorydiscriminationofSCSinducedsensationsinratsobeyedWeber'slawofjust-noticeabledifferences.These findingssuggest thatbyvaryingSCSintensity,temporalpattern,andlocationdifferentsensoryexperiencescanbe evoked.Assuch,wepositthatSCScanprovideintuitivesensoryfeedbackinneuroprostheticdevices.

© 2021TheAuthor(s).PublishedbyElsevierInc.ThisisanopenaccessarticleundertheCCBY-NC-ND license(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Introduction

Lackofsensoryfeedbackfromabrain-controlledactuatoror prostheticdeviceisamajorhindrancetosuccessfulintegrationof theneuroprosthesisinactivitiesofdailylifeandrehabilitative protocols[1 3].Thesomatosensorycortex(S1)andthalamushave beenproposedaspotentialtargetsforneurostimulationthatcould producenaturalisticsomatosensorypercepts[4 10].However,

* Correspondingauthor.DepartmentofNeurologicalSurgery,IndianaUniversity SchoolofMedicine,Indianapolis,IN,46202,USA.

E-mailaddress: apyadav@iu.edu (A.P.Yadav).

stimulatingthesebrainareasrequiressurgicalimplantationofdeep intracranialelectrodes aprocedureassociatedwithsignificant risks.Whileperipheralnervestimulationprovidesalessinvasive alternative,sensationsevokedwiththismethodarehighlylocalized,andthuslimitedintheirapplicabilityasageneral-purpose sensoryinputpathwaytothebrain[11 13].Previously,ina proof-of-conceptstudyitwasdemonstratedthatelectricalstimulationofthedorsalsurfaceofthespinalcordcanbeusedto transmitsensoryinformationbetweenmultiplerodentbrains[14]. Buildingonthispreviouswork,hereweexploredwhether nonhumanprimatescanlearntodetectanddiscriminateartificial sensationsgeneratedwithdorsalthoracicepiduralspinalcord

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2021.04.024 1935-861X/© 2021TheAuthor(s).PublishedbyElsevierInc.ThisisanopenaccessarticleundertheCCBY-NC-NDlicense(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ).

stimulation(SCS).TounderstandtherelationshipbetweenSCS parametersandsensorydetection whichiscriticalforthe developmentofnovelneuroprostheticdevices weperformeda robustpsychophysicalevaluationoftheanimals'abilitytodetect sensationswhileSCSparameterswerealtered.Wealsoexamined howsensorydiscriminationchangeswhenSCSparametersare variedinbothrodentandprimatemodels,andweaskedwhether animalscanlearntodiscriminatesensationsgeneratedbySCS patternsthatvaryinfrequencyandspatiallocation.Aftertraining theanimalstodiscriminateSCSpatterns,wedeterminedwhether artificialsensationsevokedbySCSofvariablefrequencyfollow Weber'slawofjust-noticeabledifferences(JND)-acriticalproperty definingsensorydiscrimination.

Results

Weimplantedthreerhesusmonkeyswithpercutaneous epiduralSCSelectrodesatthedorsalthoracicspinalleveland trainedthemtoperformatwo-alternativeforcedchoicetask (2AFC)usingajoystick-controlledcursor(Fig.1a, Supplementary Figure1).Inatypicalexperimentalsession,amonkeywasseated inachairinfrontofamonitorthatdisplayedtask-relatedcues.The animalsmovedahand-heldjoysticktocontrolacursoronascreen (Fig.1b).

Atypicaltrialconsistedofabrief1scenterholdperiodafter whichtwotargetsappeared.Afterabriefpreparatoryperiodof 100 1000msduringwhichatrialcuewaspresented,themonkeys hadtomovethecursorintooneofthetargetstoobtainajuice reward.Monkeyswereinitiallytrainedtoidentifythecorrecttarget usingavisualcue;however,duringtheexperimentalsessions,no visualcueswerepresented,andtheyselectedatargetbyinterpretingSCScuesalone.Inthedetectiontask,monkeyshadtoselect thelefttargetifSCSwasdeliveredduringthepreparatoryperiod andrighttargetifnoSCSwasdelivered(Fig.1c).Inthe

discriminationtask,monkeyshadtoselectthelefttargetforthe 100Hzstimuliandrighttargetforthe200Hzstimuli(frequency discrimination)andthelefttargetforelectrodepair1andright targetforelectrodepair2(spatialdiscrimination).

MonkeyslearnedtodetectSCSstimuli

MonkeysM,O,andKlearnedtodetectSCS-inducedsensory perceptsevokedusingpercutaneousdorsalthoracicepidural electrodes(T7formonkeyM,T5-T6formonkeyO,T5-T6for monkeyK).Performanceofallmonkeysstartedbelowchance levelsof50%andreachedabove90%afterlearning(Fig.2a).MonkeyMstarteddetectionperformanceat49%andreacheda maximumof93%in16days;monkeyOstartedat49%andreached amaximumof97%in10days;andmonkeyKstartedat41%and reachedamaximumof90%in8days.

Electrodethresholdsandelectrodemapping

OncethemonkeyslearnedtodetectSCSsensations,weused psychometricanalysistodeterminethedetectionthresholdsfor differentelectrodecombinations(Fig.2b).Weobservedthatthe detectionthresholdsvariedfrom315.6 mAto340 mAformonkeyO and197 mA 748 mAformonkeyKfordifferentcathode-anode electrodepairs(Fig.2c,right).Onceelectrodethresholdswere determined,wemappedthebipolarelectrodepairstolocationson themonkey'sbodybystimulatingatsuprathresholdamplitudes andobservingstimulation-inducedminormuscletwitchesorskin flutter.Weobservedthatmuscletwitches/skin flutterwereelicited inthetrunkandabdomenareaonlyatsuprathresholdvaluesbut notatsensorythresholdvalues(Fig.2c).Wealsonotedthatinboth monkeysKandOexperimentallydeterminedsensorythresholds werealwayslowerthantheobservedmotorthresholdsforeach cathode-anodeelectrodepair(SupplementaryFigure3b).

Fig.1. Surgeryandexperimentaltasksetup.a)Weimplantedthreenon-humanprimates(rhesusmonkeys)withSCSpercutaneousleadsovertheT6-T10dorsalepiduralsurfaceof thespinalcord.Leadswereexternalizedfromthelowerbackareaandsecuredinsideacustomplastichousing.Leadsweremanuallyaccessedbytheexperimenterfordailytraining andconnectedtoacustompulsestimulator.b)Monkeyswereseatedinaprimatechairinfrontofacomputermonitorwithaccesstoahand-controlledjoystick.Theyparticipated inatwo-alternativeforcedchoicetask(2AFC)bymovingthejoystickcontrollingacursoronthescreeninordertoreceiveajuicereward.c)Oneachtrial,monkeyshadtoholdthe cursorinsidethecentercirclefor1s.Afterthat,targetsappearedontheleftandrightsideofthecenter.Monkeyswerepresentedwith ‘SCS-ON’ (biphasic,100Hz,200 ms,1s)cueor ‘SCS-OFF’ cuewhenthetargetsappeared.Afterabrief,variableholdperiod(100 1000ms),thecentercircledisappearedwhichindicatedthemtomovethejoystick.Monkeyshad tomovethecursorinsidethelefttargeton ‘SCS-ON’ trialsandinsidetherighttargeton ‘SCS-OFF’ trials.Correctresponseresultedinjuicereward.IntheSCSdiscriminationtask, stimulationwasdeliveredat200 msfor1s.Monkeyshadtoselectlefttargetfor100Hzstimulusandrighttargetfor200Hzstimulusinthefrequencydiscriminationtask.Forspatial discriminationtask,monkeyshadtochooselefttargetwhenstimulationwasdeliveredatelectrodepair1andrighttargetforstimulationatelectrodepair2.

A.P.Yadav,S.Li,M.O.Krucoffetal.

Sensitivitytodetectionofsensoryperceptsinprimates

Thereafter,weinvestigatedthepsychophysicalrelationship betweenstimulationparametersanddetectionofsensorypercepts byvaryingstimulationamplitudesalongwithstimulationfrequency,pulse-width,ordurationofstimulationwhilekeepingthe othertwoparametersconstant.

Wevariedamplitudefrom50 mAto800 mAforpulse-widthsof 50 ms,100 ms,200 ms,and400 msformonkeyK,andpulse-widthsof 100 ms,200 ms,and400 msformonkeyO.Frequencyanddurationof stimulationwereheldconstant(Fig.3aand3e,and Supplementary Figure2a).Weobservedthatstimulusdetectionthresholdsignificantlydecreasedwithincreasingstimulationpulse-width(p < 0.05, repeatedmeasuresone-wayANOVA)forbothanimals(Fig.3h).

Wevariedamplitudefrom50 mAto800 mAforfrequenciesof 10Hz,20Hz,50Hz,100Hz,200Hz,and500HzformonkeyK,and frequenciesof20Hz,50Hz,100Hz,200Hz,and500Hzformonkey Owhilekeepingpulse-widthanddurationofstimulationconstant (Fig.3band3f,and SupplementaryFigure2b).Weobservedthat stimulationdetectionthresholdsignificantlydecreasedwith increasingstimulationfrequency(p < 0.05,repeatedmeasuresonewayANOVA)forbothanimals(Fig.3i).

Wevariedamplitudefrom50 mAto600 mAfordurationof 50ms,100ms,500ms,and1000msformonkeyK,andamplitude between50 mAand700 mAfordurationof50ms,100ms,and 500msformonkeyO,whilekeepingpulse-widthandfrequencyof stimulationconstant(Fig.3cand3g,and SupplementaryFigure2c). Weobservedthatstimulationdetectionthresholdsignificantly decreasedwithincreasingstimulationduration(p < 0.05,repeated measuresone-wayANOVA)forbothanimals(Fig.3j).

InmonkeyK,wevariedbothfrequencyanddurationofstimulationwhilekeepingamplitudeandpulse-widthofstimulation constant.Weobservedthatasthefrequencyofstimulation increased,thedurationofstimulationtoreachdetectionthreshold decreased(Fig.3dand3k).MonkeyKwasabletodetectasensory perceptgeneratedbymerelytwostimulationpulsesdeliveredat 1000Hz.

Sensitivitytodetectionofsensoryperceptsinrats

Inaproof-of-principlestudy,wepreviouslyshowedthatrats learntodetectsensationsgeneratedbySCSdeliveredatT2spinal level[14].Inordertostudythepsychophysicalperformanceofrats pertainingtosensorydetection,initiallywetrainedratstodetect

Fig.2. MonkeyslearnedtodetectSCSstimuli.a)Learningcurves(sigmoidal fits)formonkeysM,O,andKshowingbehavioralperformance(fractioncorrecttrials)asafunctionof trainingdays.b)PsychometricfunctionshowingfractiontrialsdetectedasafunctionofstimulationamplitudeinmonkeyO.Detectionthresholdis definedasamplitudeatwhich monkeysachieved75%performanceondetectiontask.c)Mappingofbipolarelectrodepairs(asindicatedbypairsof±signs)onmonkeyK'sbodywherestimulationonright-side electrodeatsuprathresholdamplitudeelicitedminormuscletwitchesorskin flutter.Mappedareaiscolorcodedbyelectrodepairsandcorrespondingsensorythresholdsshownon right.MonkeybodyshapeisadaptedfromRef.[15].

Fig.3. PsychophysicalevaluationofSCSsensorydetectionwithvaryingstimulationparametersinprimates.OncemonkeyslearnedtodetectSCSstimuliatthestandardparameters (frequency:100Hz,pulsewidth:200 ms,duration:1s),weallocateddifferentblocksofsessionswhere(pulsewidth & amplitude;panels ‘a’ and ‘e’);(frequency & amplitude;panels ‘b’ and ‘f’);and(duration & amplitude;panels ‘c’ and ‘g’)werevariedwhilekeepingotherparametersconstant.InmonkeyK,inaseparateblock,frequencyanddurationwasvaried withotherparametersconstant(pulsewidth:200 msecandamplitude:325 mA).Psychometriccurvesina-garesigmoidal fits.Panelsa drepresentpsychometriccurvesformonkey K,whilepanelse grepresentpsychometriccurves fittedtodataaveragedacrossmonkeysKandO(circlesanderrorbarsaremean ± sem).Panelsh,i,j,indicatenormalized

SCSstimuliusinga2-AFCtaskinaslightlymodifiedbehavioral chamber(Fig.4aand4b).Wetrained fiveratstodetectSCSstimuli deliveredattheT3spinallevel(frequency:100Hz,pulse-width: 200ms,duration:1sec,biphasicpulsesat243.7±57.9mA, Fig.4c).

Onceratslearnedthebasicdetectiontask,wevariedstimulation parameterssuchas:pulsewidth(50 400 ms);frequency (10 500Hz);andduration(50 1000ms)independentlywith stimulationamplitude(Fig.5a,5d pulsewidth;5b,5e frequency;and5c,5f duration).Similartotheresultsinmonkeys, weobservedthatstimulationdetectionthresholdssignificantly decreasedwithincreasingpulse-width(Fig.5g,p < 0.0001, repeatedmeasuresone-wayANOVA),frequency(Fig.5h, p < 0.0001,repeatedmeasuresone-wayANOVA)andduration (Fig.5i,p < 0.05,repeatedmeasuresone-wayANOVA)forallrats.

Sensorydiscriminationinprimates

WethentrainedmonkeysKandOtodiscriminateSCSthat variedinfrequencyaswellaslocationofstimulation.Onfrequency discrimination(100Hzvs200Hz, Fig.6a),monkeyO'sperformance improvedfrom29%onday1to96%onday17oftraining,while monkeyK'sperformanceimprovedfrom74%onday1to81%onday 11(Fig.6b).Spatialdiscriminationwasachievedbystimulating electrodepair1versuselectrodepair2(Fig.6c),wheremonkeyO's performanceimprovedfrom46%onday1to97%onday11and monkeyK'sperformanceimprovedfrom74%onday1to86%onday 7(Fig.6d).

SensorydiscriminationandWeber'slawinrats

Inaproof-of-principlestudy,wehadpreviouslyshownthatrats canlearntodiscriminateuptofourdifferentpatternsofstimulation[14].Inourcurrentwork,wetrainedratstosystematically discriminateSCSstimuliwithspecificfrequenciesusingthesame behavioralsetupthatwasusedforthedetectiontask (SupplementaryFigure5a).Inthebasictraining,ratslearnedto discriminatebetween10Hzand100Hzofstimulationdeliveredat pulse-widthof200 msec,anddurationof1s(Supplementary Figure5b).Thereafter,westudiedwhetherdiscriminationofsensationsinducedbydifferentstimulationfrequenciesfollowsthe rulesofWeber'slaw[16],whichstatesthatJust-NoticeableDifferences(JNDs)betweenastandardfrequencyandcomparisonfrequencyshouldlinearlyincreasewiththestandardfrequencyof stimulation.Tothisend,wedeterminedJNDsatdifferentstandard frequencies(10 100Hz)wherethecomparisonfrequencywas higherthanthestandard(Fig.7a).WeobservedthatJNDshada significantlinearlyincreasingrelationshipwiththestandardfrequencyofstimulation(Fig.7b,p < 0.0001,linearregressiontest). Afterthat,wekeptthestandardasahigherfrequencyvalue (100 400Hz)anddecreasedthecomparisonfrequencyrandomly fromthatvalue(Fig.7c).Inthiscasealso,weobservedthattheJNDs forlowerfrequencycomparisonsignificantlyincreasedlinearlyas thestandardfrequencyincreased(Fig.7d,p < 0.0001,linear regressiontest).TheseresultssuggestthattheJNDruledefinedby Weber'slawholdstrueforsensorydiscriminationofSCS frequencies.

Discussion

Inthisstudy,wefoundthatrhesusmonkeysandratscanlearn todetectanddiscriminateartificialsensationsinducedbySCS followingseveraldaysofexposure.ThethresholdfordetectingSCS decreaseswithincreasingpulsewidth,frequency,anddurationof thestimulus.Wealsodocumentedtheabilityofmonkeysto discriminatesensationsthataregeneratedbystimulationpulses withvaryingfrequencyandspatiallocation.Inrats,weshowedthat thejust-noticeabledifferences(JNDs)fromaperceivablestimulus frequencywerelinearlyrelatedtotheperceivablefrequencywhen itwascomparedwithastimulusthathadeitherhigherorlower frequency.TheseresultsdemonstratedtheuniqueabilityofSCSasa noveltransmissionchanneltothebraintoencodehighlycontextualsensoryinformation.

Ourresultsonbehavioralsensitivitytodetectionofsensationin rodentsandprimateswerecomparabletothoseobservedwith IntracorticalMicrostimulation(ICMS)ofS1[5,17].Notably,sensitivitytostimulusamplitudeincreasedwithincreasingpulsewidth, frequency,anddurationofstimulation.However,longerpulses neededsignificantlyhigherchargetoreachthresholdinbothprimates(SupplementaryFig.4a,4b,and4c,p < 0.05 repeated measuresone-wayANOVA)androdents(SupplementaryFig.4d, 4e,and4f,p < 0.0001 repeatedmeasuresone-wayANOVA), similartothatobservedintheICMSstudy[5].ICMSamplitude usingcurrentlyFDA-approvedUTAHarraysisusuallyrestricted below~100 mAduetothepossibilityofbraintissuedamage,which limitstheamplituderangeforneuroprostheticapplicationsbetweendetectionthresholdsof20 50 mAandmaximumallowable safeamplitudeof~100 mA.InourSCSstudy,detectionthresholds hadawiderrangefrom200to800 mAatdifferentstimulation settingsandalldetectionthresholdswereconsistentlyonthenondamagingsideoftheboundarybetweendamagingandnondamagingstimulationdelineatedbyShannonequation [log(D) ¼ k log(Q),withk ¼ 1.85]onlogchargedensityversuslog chargeperphaseplot(SupplementaryFigure3a)[18].Assuminga commerciallyacceptedmaximumchargedensityof30 mC/cm2 and minimumpulse-widthof50 ms[19],itcouldbeestimatedthat maximumSCScurrentof~80mAinmonkeysand~3mAinrats couldbedeliveredusingelectrodecontacts(monkeys:0.1319cm2; rats:0.005cm2)reportedinourstudywithoutcausingtissue damage.

Frequencymodulationhasbeenhistoricallyconsidereda promisingmethodforprovidingsensoryfeedbackwithseveral studiesshowingthatanimalsarecapableofdiscriminatingICMS frequenciesandthatfrequencymodulationobeysWeber'slaw. [4,20 22],WhileICMSamplitudemodulationinmonkeysfailedto followWeber'slaw[5],experimentsinratsshowedthatmodulationofperceivedintensitybyamplitudeandpulse-widthmodulationfollowedWeber'slaw[17].Inourstudy,weinvestigated whetherratsandmonkeyscouldlearntodiscriminateSCSfrequencies.AlthoughmonkeysOandKlearnedtodiscriminate 100HzSCSfrom200Hz,aftertakingacloserlookattheirlearning curvesitwasevidentthattheydisplayeddifferentlearningbehaviorsinthefrequencydiscriminationtask(Fig.6b).MonkeyO startedatlowerdiscriminationperformanceatearliertraining sessionsbutreachedhigherlevelofperformancetowardtheendof training,whereasmonkeyK'sperformancestartedhigherthan chanceandimprovedmarginallyasthetrainingprogressed.These

detectionthresholds(normalizedbymaximumamplitudeusedintheexperimentblockofeachindividualmonkey)averagedacrossbothmonkeys(mean ± sem).Detection thresholdwerecalculatedas75%fractiondetectedatthestimulationparametersshowninpanelsa c(monkeyK)and SupplementaryFig.2 a-c(monkeyO).P-valueswere calculatedusingrepeatedmeasuresone-wayANOVA.Panelkshowsthresholddurationobtainedas75%detectionfromcurvesinpaneldasafunctionoffrequency.

Fig.4. BehavioraltasksetupandratslearnedtodetectSCSstimuli.a)Theexperimenttaskconsistedofaclosedbehavioralchamberwithtworewardportsononesideofthe chamber.Theportswerecoveredwithverticalslidingdoors.FiveratswereimplantedwithbipolarstimulationelectrodesonthedorsalsurfaceofthespinalcordattheT3spinal level.b)Taskconsistedofahouselightturning ‘on’,followedbysensorycuesfor1s.DuringthecueperiodSCSwaseitherdeliveredornotdelivered.Afterthecueperiodboth rewarddoorsopened,andtherathadtomakeanosepokeresponseineitheroftheportstoreceivewaterreward.IfSCSwasdeliveredratshadtopokeinsidetheleftportandifnot delivered,thentheyhadtopokeinsidetherightrewardport.Pokinginthecorrectrewardpokeinitiatedawaterreward,whileincorrectpokeswerenotrewarded.c)Ratslearned todetectSCSstimulioveraperiodof15 25daysasindicated learningcurveshowingtaskperformanceindicatedbyfractiontrialsdetectedasafunctionoftrainingsessions. Circlesanderrorbarsindicatemean ± sem.

differencesinlearningbehaviorcouldbeattributedtothefactthat monkeyOwasstimulatedatconstantamplitudeforbothfrequency values(100Hzand200Hz)whilemonkeyKwasstimulatedateach frequency'sthresholdamplitude.ItisquitepossiblethatmonkeyO wasdiscriminatingdifferencesinperceivedmagnitudesofthe sensoryperceptswhilemonkeyKwasdiscriminatingdifferencesin thequalitativenatureoftheperceptsinduced.Ratsarecapableof discriminatingtemporalpatternsofSCSwhenthenumberofpulses arekeptconstantbutthefrequencyofstimulusisvaried[14].In additiontothat,ourcurrentresultsindicatethatJNDsassociated withSCSfrequencydiscriminationinratsclearlyfollowWeber's lawbecauseJNDslinearlyincreasedwithstandardstimulation frequency(Fig.7band7d).Itcouldbesurmisedfrom Fig.7bthat therewereatleastthreediscriminableperceptsbetween10Hzand 200Hz; firstperceptat10Hz,secondperceptat60HzbecauseJND at10Hzwas~50Hz;andthirdperceptat180HzsinceJNDat60Hz was~120Hz.Itcanbearguedthatapplyingfrequencymodulation simultaneouslywithamplitudeandpulse-widthmodulation wouldpotentiallyincreasethenumberofdistinctdiscriminable perceptsthatarepossiblewithintheamplituderangeallowedon currentSCSelectrodes.Therefore,furtherexperimentsexploring therelationshipbetweensensorydiscriminationandfrequency, pulse-width,amplitude,anddurationofstimulationarenecessary tounderstandhowtheseparametersrelatetoperceivedintensity andqualityofsensationevokedbySCS.

AmajoradvantageofSCSisitsabilitytotargetmultipledermatomessimultaneouslywithasingleelectrodearray.Inparticular,asingle,commerciallyavailableSCSleadwithmultiple

contactscanevokesensationsinmultipledermatomessimultaneouslyduetothebilateralsensoryrepresentationoftheentire lowerbodyintheascendingdorsalcolumn fibers.Itisquite apparentfromourresultsthatmonkeyscanlearntodiscriminate thespatiallocationofthesensationsevokedbySCS(Fig.6d).This suggeststhatwecantakefulladvantageoftherostro-caudal somatotopyrepresentedinthedorsalcolumn fibersincombinationwithspatiotemporalstimulationpatternstoelectricallyinduce targetedtactileorproprioceptivesensationsinthebody.Thisview isalsosupportedbyevidencefromcomputationalstudieswhich indicatethatepiduralSCSactivatesdorsalcolumn fibersuptoa depthof0.2 0.25mmfromthedorsalsurface[23 27].However, additionalworkonminiaturizingelectrodecontactsandaccurate medio-lateral/rostro-caudalmappingofSCS-inducedsensations needstobeperformedtobeabletoelicitprecisesensations.In addition,theabilityofSCStomodulateneuronalactivityin supraspinalbrainstructuresisquitedesirablefromaneuroprostheticaswellasatherapeuticapplicationstandpoint [14,28 31,34].Amajorlimitationofourstudyistheshortexperimentaltime(SupplementaryFigure1)wehadavailableforprimates maximumof5months duetotheriskofinfection associatedwithexternalizedSCSleads.Afullyimplantablestimulationsystem,liketheoneimplantedinchronicpainpatientscould potentiallyextendourstudyindefinitelyandallowustoperform longerexperimentsinmonkeys.Nevertheless,inrodentswewere abletoperformlongerpost-implantexperimentsbecausethe electrodesandtheirwireswerefullyenclosedinsidethebody.

Fig.5. PsychophysicalevaluationofSCSsensorydetectionwithvaryingstimulationparametersinrats.OnceratslearnedtodetectSCSstimuliatthestandardparameters(frequency:100Hz,pulsewidth:200 ms,duration:1s),weallocateddifferentblocksofsessionswhere(pulsewidth & amplitude;panel ‘a’);(frequency & amplitude;panel ‘b’);and (duration & amplitude;panel ‘c’)werevariedwhilekeepingotherparametersconstant.a,b,c)Psychometriccurvesfromrepresentativeratsshowingaleftwardshiftofcurvesas thepulse-width(rat4),frequency(rat2),andduration(rat5)ofstimulationincreased.d,e,f)Psychometriccurveswithaverageddataacross fiveratsindicateleftwardshiftas pulse-width,frequency,anddurationareincreased.X-axisrepresentsrelativeamplitudevalues(foreachratrawamplitudevaluesweresubtractedbyminimumamplitudeandthe differencewasdividedbyamplitudestepsize).Circlesanderrorbarsaremean ± semacross fiverats.Curvesinpanels ‘a-f’ aresigmoidal fits.Panels ‘g’ , ‘h’,and ‘i’ indicate normalizeddetectionthresholds.Thresholdswerecalculatedas75%fractiondetectedatdifferentstimulationparametersconsistentwithpanels ‘a-f’ andthennormalizedby maximumamplitudeusedintheexperimentalblockofeachrat.Circlesanderrorbarsaremean ± semacross fiverats.P-valueswerecalculatedusingrepeatedmeasuresone-way ANOVA.

Inconclusion,wehavesuccessfullydemonstratedthatSCScan generatediscerniblesensoryperceptsinbothratsandmonkeys andalltogetherourstudystronglyshowsthepotentialofSCSto encodesensoryinformationinthebrain.Additionally,ourbehavioralexperimentsserveasatestbedforfutureanimalstudies

whichcouldelucidatetheneuralmechanismsunderlyingSCSbasedsensorydetectionanddiscrimination.WeenvisionthatSCS canbedevelopedasanartificialsensoryfeedbackchannelfor deliveringtargetedtactileandproprioceptiveinformationtothe brain.

Fig.6. MonkeyslearnedtodiscriminateSCSstimulivaryinginfrequencyandspatiallocationofelectrodes.a,b)MonkeysKandOlearnedtodiscriminateSCS stimulideliveredat thesameelectrodelocationbutvaryinginfrequency(100Hzvs200Hz).MonkeyOwasstimulatedatsameamplitudewhilemonkeyKwasstimulatedattherespectivethreshold amplitudefor100Hzand200Hz.c,d)MonkeysKandOlearnedtodiscriminatestimulationdeliveredatelectrodepair1(T6-T7spinallevel)vselectrodepair2(T7-T8spinallevel). Curvesinpanelsbanddindicatesigmoidal fitstofractioncorrecttrialsdisplayedasafunctionoftrainingdays.

Methods

AllanimalprocedureswereapprovedbytheDukeUniversity InstitutionalAnimalCareandUseCommitteeandinaccordance withNationalInstituteofHealthGuidefortheCareandUseof LaboratoryAnimals.Threeadultrhesusmacaquemonkeys(Macaca mulatta),monkeys ‘M’ , ‘O’,and ‘K’ and fiveLongEvansrats (300 350g)participatedintheexperiments.

Monkeyspinalimplantsurgery

MonkeysM,K,andOwereimplantedwith8-contactcylindrical percutaneousleads(Model3186,diameter1.4mm,contactlength 3mm,spacing4mm,AbbottLaboratories)bilaterallytothespinal mid-lineinthedorsalepiduralspaceatT6 T8spinallevel. MonkeyMhadtwoleadswith8stimulationcontactseach,monkey Ohadtwoleads,onewith8contacts(rightside)andonewith4 contacts(leftside,Model3146,similarelectrodecontactdimensionsasModel3186),andmonkeyKhadtwoleadswith8 stimulationcontactseach.Experimentalproceduresformonkeys M,O,andKlastedapproximately45,135,and150dayspostimplantafterwhichtheleadswereexplanted(Supplementary Figure1).

Implantsurgerywasperformedundergeneralanesthesiausing standardprocedurestypicalofhumanimplantation(fordetailssee supplementaryinformationand Fig.1a).Onceleadswere

implantedintheepiduralspace,asmallholewascreatedinthe skinoff-midlinetoexternalizethedistalendofthelead.Externalizedleadswereenclosedinacustomplasticcapwhichwas suturedtotheskin(Fig.1a).Theplasticcapallowedforaccesstothe leadsbytheresearcherbutprotectionfromtheanimal.Theanimal woreaprotectivevestaftersurgeryandthroughouttheexperimentalperiodwhichpreventeditsaccesstotheplasticcapsutures toitsback.

MonkeySCSdetectiontask

Monkeysweretrainedtoperformatwo-alternativeforced choicetaskwheretheywereseatedinachairfacingacomputer monitorwhichindicatedtrialprogression(Fig.1b).Oneachtriala centertargetappeared,andthemonkeyhadtomoveacursor whichwasjoystick-controlledinsidethecentertarget(Fig.1c). Afterabriefholdperiodof1sinsidethecentertarget,twotargets appearedoneithersideofthecentertarget.Eachmonkeyhadto holdthecursorinsidethecentraltargetforabriefperiodof 100 1000ms.Duringthisholdperiodsensorycueswerepresented.IfSCSwaspresented(charge-balanced,cathode-first,200 msbiphasicsquarepulsesat100Hzfor1susingcustommicrostimulator[32]),thenthemonkeyhadtomovethecursortotheleft targettoobtainajuicereward.IfSCSwasabsent,thenthemonkey hadtomovethecursorinsidetherighttarget.Attheendofthe holdperiod,thecentertargetdisappeared,thuscuingthemonkey

Fig.7. DiscriminationofhigherandlowercomparisonfrequencyobeysWeber'sLaw.a)Fractionoftrialscorrectlydiscriminatedfromstandardfrequencyof10Hz,20Hz,40Hz, 60Hz,80Hz,and100Hz,whencomparedtoarangeofhigherfrequencystimuli.c)Fractionoftrialscorrectlydiscriminatedfromstandardfrequencyof 110Hz,220Hz,310Hz, 380Hz,and400Hz,whencomparedtoarangeoflowerfrequencystimuli.Circlesanderrorbarsin ‘a’ and ‘c’ indicatemean ± sem.Curvesindicatesigmoid fitstothedata.Justnoticeabledifference(JND)isconsideredasthecomparisonfrequencyvaluethatachieves75%discriminationability.b,d)Just-noticeabledifferenceasafunctionofstandard frequencyisindicatedbyblackcirclesanderrorbars.Blacklineislinearregression fittothedataandpinkboundsindicate95%confidenceboundoftheregressionline.JNDs associatedwithhigherfrequencyandlowerfrequencycomparisonweresignificantlylinearlyrelatedwithstandardfrequency.P-valueswerecalculatedusinglinearregressiontest.

toinitiatecursormovementtowardthereward.Incorrecttarget reacheswerenotrewarded.Initiationofmovementpriortotheend oftheholdperiodterminatedthetrialwithoutrewardandablank screenwasdisplayed3sbeforestartingnexttrial.Thelearning performanceofmonkeyswasstudiedusingpercentagecorrect(PC) trials.

Monkeypsychometricevaluationofdetectionthresholds

Oncemonkeysweretrainedonthedetectiontaskandtheir performancewasabove85%,detectionthresholdsweredeterminedfordifferentelectrodecombinationsusingpsychometric testing.Particularly,during ‘StimulationON’ i.e. ‘lefttargetrewarded’ trials,thestimulationamplitudewasrandomlyvariedfrom 50 mAtoamanuallydeterminedupperlimitwhichwasbelowthe motorthreshold.Onlylefttargettrialswereanalyzedandapercentagecorrect(PC)performanceateachstimulationamplitude valuewasdetermined.Asigmoidcurvewas fittothePCvaluesand 75%wasconsideredasdetectionthreshold.Thiswasrepeatedfor severalelectrodecombinations.

Monkeyelectrodemapping

InmonkeyK,oncesensorydetectionthresholdsweredetermined,wemappedthelocationofelectrodepairstolocationonthe monkey'sbodybysedatingthemonkeyandstimulatingthose electrodesabovethesensorythresholdvalues.Areasonthebody surfacethatelicitedminormuscletwitchesorskin flutterwere marked(Fig.2c,left)andthemotorthresholdswerenoted.In monkeyO,theseobservationswerenotmadeundersedationbut whileitwasseatedintheprimatechair.

Monkeydetectionthresholdsasstimulationparametersvary

Duringsetsofconsecutivesessions,wevariedamplitudeand frequencyoramplitudeandpulse-widthoramplitudeandduration ofstimulationwhilekeepingotherparametersconstant(forstimulationparameterranges,see SupplementaryTable1).Thestandardparametersthatremainedconstantwhileotherswerevaried werefrequency:100Hz,pulsewidth:200 msec,andduration:1s.In monkeyK,wevariedfrequency(10 1000Hz)andduration (1 2000ms)ofstimulationsimultaneouslywhilekeepingpulse widthandamplitudeconstantat200 msand325 mArespectively. Detectionthresholdsforeachmonkeywerenormalizedby maximumamplitudeusedintheexperimentblockofthatmonkey beforestatisticalanalysis.

Monkeysensorydiscrimination

Inthefrequencydiscriminationtask,eachmonkeywas instructedtomovethecursorinsidethelefttargetfor100Hzand righttargetfor200Hzrespectively(Fig.6a).Inthespatial discriminationtask,themonkeywasinstructedtomovethecursor insidethelefttargetforelectrodepair1andinsiderighttargetfor electrodepair2respectively(Fig.6c).

Ratpre-trainingandSCSelectrodeimplantation

Moderatelywaterdeprivedratswereplacedinsidethebehavioralchamberfor2daystoacclimatizetothebehavioralenvironment.Thebehavioralchamberhadtwodoorsononesideofthe wallswhichenclosedwaterrewardports(Fig.4a),slightlymodified fromtheonepreviouslydescribed[33].Ratsweregraduallytrained toreceivewaterrewardfromtheports.Initially,bothrewarddoors werekeptopenandratslearnedtoreceivewaterbylickingatthe

waterdispensingspout.Later,thedoorswerekeptclosedand wouldopenafewsecondsafterthehouselightturnedon.In subsequentsessions,leftandrightdoorswouldopenonalternate trialsandratslearnedtoobtainrewardfromeachportalternatively.Thepre-surgicaltrainingperiodlastedapproximately8 10 days.

ThereaftercustomdesignedSCSelectrodes(1mm 0.5mm contactsarrangedtransverselyinabipolarconfigurationwith 0.25mmspacingusinga0.025mmthicknessplatinumfoil, GoodfellowCambridgeLimited,England)wereimplantedintothe epiduralspaceunderT3vertebraasdescribedinourprevious article[29].Aftertheratsrecoveredfromthespinalsurgicalprocedures,cathodeleadingstimulationpulsetrainsweredeliveredat theSCSelectrodesusingamulti-channelconstantcurrentstimulator(Master-8,A.M.P.I,Jerusalem,Israel)atstimulationsettings whichweredetermineddependingonthebehavioraltaskunder consideration(Fig.4a).

Ratsensorydetectiontask

Afterrecoveryfromsurgery,ratswereintroducedtoatwoalternativeforcedchoicetask(2AFC)tolearndetectionofSCS stimuliinthechamber(Fig.4b).Atthebeginningofeachtrial,a lightinthechamberwasturnedonfor1sasareminderforthe animalstopayattention.Afterthelightturnedoff,theratsreceived asensorycuefor1s.Thesensorycueeitherconsistedofcathodeleadingbipolarsquarepulsetrains(pulsewidth:200 ms,Frequency: 100Hz,duration:1s)ornostimulationpulses(interval:1s)ateach trial.Afterabriefdelayof0.5sbothrewarddoorsopened,andrats hadtorespondbychoosingtheleftdoorfor ‘SCSON’ trialsandright doorfor ‘SCSOFF’ trials.Incorrectresponseswerenotrewarded. Duringthelearningofthisbasicdetectiontask,theintensityofthe deliveredcurrentwasdeterminedbeforeeachsessionandsetusing proceduresdescribedbefore[14,29,31](mean ± std,intensityat 100Hzwas243.7 ±57 9 mA).

Ratsensorydetectionpsychophysics

Onceratslearnedthebasicsensorydetectiontaskandtheir performancewasabove80%,stimulationparameterswerevariedin asystematicmannerduringtheSCS-ONtrials.Indifferentexperimentalsessions,stimulationparameterssuchasfrequencyand amplitude,pulse-widthandamplitude,andpulsetrainduration andamplitudewerevariedwhileotherparameterswerekept constant(standardparameters:pulsewidth:200 ms;Frequency: 100Hz;duration:1s),andsensorydetectionthresholdamplitude wasdetermined(forstimulationparameterrangessee SupplementaryTable1).Foralltheconditions,thedetectablelevel oftheamplitudewasdefinedas75%accuracyofbehavioralperformance.Detectionthresholdsforeachratwerenormalizedby maximumamplitudeusedintheexperimentblockofthatrat beforestatisticalanalysis.

Ratsensorydiscriminationtask

Ina2AFCtask,ratswerepresentedwitheitheralowfrequency stimulusorahighfrequencystimulusduringthesensorycue periodinthebehavioralchamber.Foreitherfrequency,thestimuluswasdeliveredatthesameamplitude(determinedateach session),pulsewidth(200 ms),andduration(1s).Afterabriefdelay periodfollowingsensorycuepresentation,ratshadtochoosethe leftdoorforhigherfrequencystimulusandrightdoorforlower frequencystimulustoobtainreward(Fig.4a).Initially,ratswere trainedtodiscriminatebetween10Hzand100Hzfrequency. Incorrecttrailswerenotrewarded.

Weber'slawandsensorydiscrimination

Onceratslearnedtodiscriminate10Hzstimulusfrom100Hz stimulus,demonstratedbyconsistentdiscriminationperformance above80%,thelowerfrequency(standardfrequency)waskept constantduringrightdoortrialswhilethehigherfrequency (comparisonfrequency)wasrandomizedbetween20Hzand 110Hzduringleftdoortrials.Sensorydiscriminationperformance betweenastandardfrequencyandcomparisonfrequencywas determinedasthefractionoftrialssuccessfullydiscriminatedfor thatparticularstandardandcomparisonpair.Thus,fractiontrials discriminatedwasplottedasafunctionofcomparisonfrequencyto obtainJust-NoticeableDifferences(JNDs)determinedas75%value onthecurve.Thesameexperimentwasrepeatedfordifferent standardfrequencyvaluessuchas20Hzvs(40 220Hz),40Hzvs (60 240Hz),60Hzvs(85 310Hz),80Hzvs(110 380Hz),and 100Hzvs(130 400Hz)toobtainJNDsforeachstandardfrequency valueandtotestforWeber'slaw.

Similarly,theexperimentwasrepeatedfordiscriminationofa low-frequencycomparisonstimulusfromahigh-frequencystandardstimulus.Thestandardfrequencyvalueswere110,220,310, 380,and400Hz,whilethecomparisonfrequencywasrandomized from(100 10Hz),(200 20Hz),(285 60Hz),(350 80Hz),and (370 100Hz)respectivelyforeachofthestandardfrequency values.JNDswerecalculatedforeachofthestandardfrequency valuesasexplainedbeforetotestforWeber'slaw.

Statisticalanalysis

Repeatedmeasuresone-wayANOVAwasusedtotestthesignificanceofrelationshipbetweenstimulationparametersand sensorydetectionthresholdsinbothratsandmonkeys(Fig.3h,3i, 3j,5g,5h,5i,and SupplementaryFig.4cand4f).Totestwhether JNDsweresignificantlylinearlyrelatedtostandardfrequencyinthe sensorydiscriminationtask,thelinearregressiontestwasused (Fig.7band7d).

CRediTauthorshipcontributionstatement

AmolP.Yadav: Conceptualization,Methodology,Software, Investigation,Formalanalysis,Fundingacquisition,Supervision, Writing originaldraft,Writing review & editing. ShuangyanLi: Methodology,Investigation,Formalanalysis,Writing review & editing. MaxO.Krucoff: Conceptualization,Methodology,Funding acquisition,Writing review & editing. MikhailA.Lebedev: Conceptualization,Writing review & editing. MuhammadM. Abd-El-Barr: Methodology,Writing review & editing. Miguel A.L.Nicolelis: Resources,Fundingacquisition,Supervision,Writing review & editing.

Declarationofcompetinginterest

Theauthorsdeclarenocompeting financialornon-financial interests.

Acknowledgements

WethankGaryLehewforassistancewithexperimentalsetup, TamaraPhillipsforassistancewithmonkeyhandling,Paul Thompsonforassistancewithprimatetasksoftware,LauraOliveira andSusanHalkiotisfortechnicalassistance,andJosephO'Doherty forcommentsonpreviousversionofmanuscript.Thisresearchwas supportedbyDukeInstituteforBrainSciencesGerminatorAward andDukeNeurosurgeryResearchSupportawardedtoAmolP. Yadav,NIHR25awardedtoMaxO.Krucoff,RSFgrant21-75-30024

awardedtoMikhailA.Lebedev,andHartwellFoundationgrant awardedtoMiguelNicolelis.

AppendixA.Supplementarydata

Supplementarydatatothisarticlecanbefoundonlineat https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2021.04.024

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labours on horseback and afoot over the mountains from the sea, seemed in truth the very luxury of locomotion.

Thus they went on, making the most marvellous journey that men of their race had ever made in the world, for the space of eight days.

Down between the two vast ranges towering far into the sky on either hand they went, ever at the same swift, rhythmic pace. Some of the mountains were huge, bald rounded domes of brown rock, some tapered up into pointed pyramids, and others were broken into clusters of fantastic shape. Others, again, as they went southward, towered up above the nearer ranges, far-off pinnacles of ice and domes of snow ever rising higher and higher and coming nearer and nearer; but the lower slopes, walling in the valleys through which they travelled, were green with verdure or golden with rustling maize, and cut out into countless terraces, each one of which was as carefully tended as a garden.

On the bleaker uplands they could see vast flocks of llamas, the only beast of burden which this strange people possessed, and smaller herds of vicuñas, which yielded the wool that was spun into textures as fine and soft as silk. Each night they were lodged in the tambos, or rest-houses, welcomed with a silent, stately deference which showed them that their entertainers held no ordinary rank in the land of the Inca, and their fare was such as might have been offered to princes.

Indeed, such sumptuous treatment did they receive that, as Alonso de Molina said towards the end of the journey, there seemed to be something of shame in taking it all as they did from the hands of one who had suffered such treatment from them as Atahuallpa had.

There were no signs to show that this lovely and wonderful land had but lately been swept by the tempest of civil war. Everything was in perfect order, and every man, woman, and child seemed contented with what Heaven and the Inca had bestowed. They passed strong fortresses fully garrisoned, and guarding narrow passages and gorges which looked impregnable if well defended, and they crossed broad, swift-flowing rivers by swinging bridges held

up by cables which, huge as they were, looked like threads when stretched across the vast abysses, and so at last they came to the greatest of all these bridges, which hung in mid-air from rock-wall to rock-wall, looking frail and slender as a spider’s web as it hung more than a hundred feet above the dark, swift-flowing and hoarsely roaring torrent of the “Great Speaker.”15

As their litters were borne across it the whole fabric swung to and fro over the abyss with a pendulous motion like that of some huge hammock swayed by the wind which swept through the gorge; and though de Soto and his companions were men of well-proved courage there was a prayer for safety on the lips of each as they began the crossing and one of thankfulness when they got to the other side.

“I have seen nothing more like the Bridge of Jehennan, which, according to the faith of my fathers, stretches from this world to the next across the Gulf of Hell, than that!” said ben-Alcazar, when they stood on the little platform from which the bridge sprang on the Cuzco side, and where they had dismounted to take a better look at the wonderful structure.

“There would be little else than Hell for the unbeliever who fell unshriven from it,” growled de Candia sententiously, yet with a grim smile at ben-Alcazar, whose near relationship to the arch-enemies of the Cross was a somewhat serious joke in the army, and one over which there had been a certain amount of blood-letting before he had got convinced that no reproach was meant by it.

“Ay, and I for my part would not give much for the unshriven soul even of a good Catholic who chanced to fall from the middle of it while his hands were yet red and his blade wet with innocent blood,” he retorted, paying de Candia back in kind. “By the beard of the Prophet, as my fathers used to swear, I would give no more for his soul than I would for the chance of finding his body.”

“Well hit, ben-Alcazar!” laughed de Molina as they got back into their litters. “Even de Candia’s big carcase would be as sadly to seek there as charity for the heathen in Valverde’s breast.”

From the bridge the narrow yet perfectly paved and smoothed road ran ever upward round huge mountain buttresses overhanging fearful abysses, out of which the voices of the torrents rose like the whispering of spirits guarding these gloomy and lifeless regions. They rose higher and higher into wildernesses ever bleaker and bleaker, till at length they reached the beginning of the topmost pass of the journey, running between two colossal mountains which rose, snow-capped, and glacier-clad, many thousands of feet on either hand, fitting sentinels to guard the enchanted realm into which they were about to enter.

On the eighth night they rested at a tambo about three leagues to the southward of the pass, and about a league farther on they could see that the road rose up again on to a broad broken plateau, but beyond this they could see no other hills or mountains.

They were roused very early the next morning, and found their first meal prepared for them, although it was barely yet dawn. But they had been so well treated, and the journey had been made with such marvellous expedition, that they thought it best to ask no questions, and getting into their litters, they were well on their way again before sunrise.

It was plain to them that their bearers and attendants were making unusual haste for some reason, for they swung up the long, steep, winding path at a marvellous speed. Then suddenly on the crest of the ridge they stopped and set the litters down.

“How now!” exclaimed de Soto, leaping to his feet and looking about him. “Ah! madre de Dios! was ever such a sight seen in the world before?”

“By Allah!—that is, I should say, all the Saints!” said ben-Alcazar, coming to his side. “It might be one of the valleys of Paradise itself. Are the wonders of this land never to cease for us? I, for one, am beginning to doubt whether I am still on earth.”

“This, then,” said de Molina, ranging his eyes over the vast and lovely prospect before them, and drawing in a deep breath of the keen, fresh morning air—“this can be nothing else than Cuzco itself, the City of the Sun!”

“Ay, that is so, comrade,” said de Candia; “and look you, yonder comes the Sun himself to show us his royal city in all its splendour.”

As he spoke the swiftly rising sun blazed out suddenly over the peaks of the huge mountain wall that stretched along to the eastward of the valley, and in an instant earth and sky were blazing with light. All their retinue faced with one movement to the east, and, spreading their arms wide apart, gazed upward for a moment with raptured eyes and then bowed low in worship of the rising symbol of their Father and their God, and in the midst of them the four Christians stood erect, gazing in speechless wonder at the glory of the scene spread out below them, and looking, for the first time Christian eyes had ever looked, upon the visible and splendid reality of the long-sought, long-dreamed of El-Dorado, the Place of Gold.

CHAPTER VI.

THE RETURN OF MANCO

AT the moment when the Spanish cavaliers arrived on the brow of the hill overlooking Cuzco, Manco-Capac was walking with Nahua up and down a broad, paved path in a vast garden which formed part of the precincts of the great Temple of the Sun. It was one of the most wonderful gardens in the world, unequalled even by those lying round the Temple on the Island of Titicaca, or by the marvellous gardens attached to the pleasure palaces of the Incas in the valley of Yucay, “the Vale of Imperial Delights.”

It was oblong in form and of considerable extent, containing some three acres by English measurement. The high walls of smooth, dressed stone were half pierced by deep niches or alcoves lined with plates of alternate gold and silver, and converted into shady bowers by veils of creeping plants suspended on trelliswork of silver.

The centre of the garden was laid out in exact imitation of the city, that is to say, each straight street was represented by walks which crossed each other, as the streets did, at right angles, and the squares and fountains were all reproduced exactly in miniature. The flower-beds were brilliant with many-tinted blossoms and odorous with a hundred perfumes. Every flowering plant that would come to maturity in the valley was represented, and those of the warmer valleys at lower elevations were cunningly counterfeited in gold and silver and copper coloured so as to exactly imitate stalks and leaves and blossoms.

They had just met, Manco coming from the garden entrance of the Temple, and Nahua from the gateway opening out of a long passage leading from the House of the Virgins of the Sun. The five years that had passed since their escape from the City of the Great Ravine had changed them from a boy and girl to a youth and maiden on the threshold of manhood and womanhood. Nahua was now nearly sixteen and Manco within a few months of twenty.

During the last three years the young prince had borne arms almost constantly in the wars between Atahuallpa and Huascar, always, of course, under the banner of his own elder brother, than whom there could in his eyes be no other rightful heir to the throne of the Land of the Four Regions. In the stern school of battle and misfortune his body and his spirit had alike grown and strengthened, and now, in this hour of near approaching disaster, young as he was, there was no better warrior in any of the armies of the Sun than he, no head cooler to plan or quicker to execute, no soul stauncher or more steadfastly determined to fight out the battle with Destiny to the bitter end.

In a word, Manco-Capac, now the sole remaining prince of the pure and sacred Blood, was now also the last hope of the soreafflicted Children of the Sun.

As for Nahua, it may be enough for the present to say that the years had more than fulfilled the bright promise of her early girlhood, for of all the Daughters of the Sun she was the fairest and sweetest, even as Manco, now her Lord as well as her lover, was the strongest and most gallant of his sons. Between them they represented all that was noblest and best in the splendid traditions of their Divine race, and from their long-promised and hoped-for union could alone spring a posterity worthy to carry those traditions on to the days of unborn generations.

The day before Manco had heard of the coming of the Spanish envoys, and had instantly determined on a course of action as bold as it was politic. Rumours of the death of Huascar at the hands of Atahuallpa’s agents had already reached the city, and as soon as he had learnt these terrible tidings he had marched all the regiments that remained to him out of the mountain fastnesses to the northeast, and taken formal possession of the capital.

The inhabitants and chief officials of the city had received him with the respect and enthusiasm which his rank and tried valour deserved. The great fortress of the Sacsahuaman, the wonderful gateway of Piquillacta, a colossal fortification extending from mountain to mountain across the south-western entrance to the valley, and all the other strong places commanding the few and

difficult approaches to the city, had been joyfully entrusted to his keeping, and that morning he was to be proclaimed Regent and Protector of the realm, pending confirmation or disproof of the news of Huascar’s murder.

He had already given orders that the Spanish envoys were to be hospitably received and entertained in one of his own palaces outside the city until the formal act of proclamation should have authorised him to confer with them in the name of his people.

It would not be the first time that he had met the Strangers, for he was in Tumbez when the Spaniards landed there over three years before when they first set foot on the mainland. It had so happened also that, during one of their battles with the natives on the island of Puna in the Gulf of Tumbez, two of the Spaniards had been badly wounded and taken prisoners. These men had afterwards escaped on rafts and reached the mainland, and, after many wanderings, had found their way southward to the valley of Chimay, in which the great Temple of Pachacamac stands, and there Manco had met them and brought them back with him to Cuzco.

Here, in gratitude for the kindness they had received at his hands, they not only took infinite pains to teach him their language, which he now spoke with admirable grace and fluency, but had told him all they could of the weapons and tactics of the Spaniards, and had given him many valuable hints as to their methods of attack, their formation of the line-of-battle and many other things which were eagerly seized upon by his keen intellect to be made good use of when he came to drill his own regiments.

Later on the two Spaniards had gone with the Army of the South to war against the Usurper, but, unhappily for the fortunes of both Huascar and Manco, one had been killed in the first great battle of the war, and the other had been captured with the Inca, after which nothing had been heard of him.

Nahua and Manco had not met for several weeks before his sudden entry into the city, and this was their first meeting in private, for there was no one else in the great garden save a few slaves and attendants, none of whom would have dared on pain of his life to approach without being summoned within anything but the most

respectful distance of the person of the prince, nor would have ventured even to so much as raise his eyes and look upon him without permission.

They had just saluted the rising sun, standing hand in hand in the central square of the garden, and as they turned to resume their walk Nahua, chancing to look up towards the north-eastern hills, suddenly uttered a soft little cry, half of wonder and half of alarm, and shrank closer to Manco’s side.

“What is it, my Princess?” he asked tenderly, putting his arm round her shoulders. “Surely there can be nothing here to raise thy fears?”

“Look yonder, my Lord,” she answered, raising her hand and pointing towards the ridge. “Look, there come the Strangers! Canst thou not see the glances of our Father sparkling on that strange white clothing of theirs such as was worn by the two who fought for our Lord?”

Manco looked up and saw dotted along the ridge bright gleams of white light which his instinct, no less true than Nahua’s, told him could only be the sunlight reflected from the polished helmets and cuirasses of the mysterious strangers.

He was not as unfamiliar with these as the rest of his countrymen were, for he alone among the warriors of the Sun possessed a cuirass and morion and sword of good Milan plate and Toledo steel, which had been bequeathed to him by José Valdez, the Spanish knight who had fallen fighting by his side in the great fight at Jauja. He and some of his followers had borne him tenderly out of the battle, and Valdez, who had many a time before buckled the armour on to him and taught him how to use the sword and shield, had besought him almost with his dying breath never to go into battle without them, and to his obedience to this behest the young Inca had owed his liberty or life in many a hotly-contested battle and skirmish since then.

“Ay, thou art right, dearest. They can be no other,” he said, half eagerly, half solemnly. “Truly thine eyes are as keen as they are soft and bright. I wonder what the vision of those little points of light augurs for us and the Children of the Sun?”

“It augurs evil, my Lord!” she replied, turning and facing him, and laying her two hands on his shoulders. “Sore and deadly evil, if there be any truth in the voices of the spirits who come to us in our dreams; for last night, Lord, I dreamt that the fearful things which we have been told of these cruel strangers’ doings in Cajamarca were being done by them again here in our dear and sacred City of the Sun. I saw roofs blazing red over palaces and temples, and the war-fires alight on all the hills and on the Sacsahuaman itself, and I heard a great wailing cry of misery and despair going up from thousands of our people, for these strangers, mounted on their fierce and wonderful war-beasts, which I have never yet seen, save in my dream, but which looked very terrible, were flying hither and thither among them, hewing them down by thousands and trampling them under foot. And I saw too, those strange things which the messengers from Cajamarca told us of—the pipes from which they pour out the llapa and smite men dead long before they can reach them—and then, my Lord, I saw one of them point his llapa-pipe at thee, who wert ever foremost in the battle—and then—my Lord—I screamed aloud and woke. An evil omen, was it not?”

The young prince looked down tenderly on to the sweet face and into the loving eyes that were turned up, and after a short space of silence said—

“The Wise Men have often told me, dearest, that there are omens which should be read backwards to reach the truth of them, and others that have no truth at all in them, but are only the idle freaks that the spirits of the night love to play with us. Of a truth I think more of thy loving care for me in thy vision than of the vision itself.

“Knowing that these strangers were coming it was but reasonable that thou shouldst go to sleep thinking of the tales that have come to us from Cajamarca, and I have often heard that the last thoughts of our waking time remain with us through sleep and come to life again in strangely altered shapes. For me, I see nothing fearful in it. We have not yet heard the full truth of what the Strangers did at Cajamarca. It may be that the Usurper invited them peacefully into the city so as to take them in an ambush, and they did but lawfully punish him for his treachery. Thou knowest how cruel and unsparing

he is, and how he trapped our Lord Huascar with his smooth words and false promises, only to take him prisoner and to murder him—if what we hear be true.

“It may be that these Spaniards, as they call themselves, are not such as report hath painted them. Those two who lived and fought with us were as true men and good comrades as princes and warriors could wish for. Why should not these be like them? No doubt this embassy that they are sending to us is one of all honour and friendship. At least we cannot forget that it is their hands that have avenged our wrong, and taken the Usurper prisoner in the midst of his triumphs.”

Nahua heard him with downcast head, but when he had finished she looked up quickly, and said in an anxious, pleading voice—

“Nay, nay, my Lord and my beloved, do not think so, I pray thee by the glory and goodness of our Father. It would ill become me to pit my poor wisdom against thine, yet, as the Pallas have often told me, there are times when a woman’s heart can find truth more quickly than a man’s head, however wise he may be, and now my heart which loves thee so well tells me, doubtless because it loves thee, that thou art wrong. These strangers have no good-will for us or our people and they would treat thee as they have treated Atahuallpa, wert thou in their power as he is. They care nothing for the rights or wrongs of our quarrel save to use it for their own ends. Hast thou forgotten what thy two friends told thee, how they had come hither for gold, and gold alone, and would use all means to get it.

“I was talking last night with the Villac-Umu in the House of the Virgins, and he told me that, by all the signs of the stars, sun, and moon, these men were coming hither to deceive thee with smooth words and fair promises, so that afterwards they may entrap thee as they have done the Usurper.”

“And he told thee this,” the young prince replied in a tone that was serious almost to sternness, “so that he might have that sweet voice of thine on his side. I know his mind, for I too have spoken with him on this matter. If he had his way he would have me treat these strangers as their chief has treated Atahuallpa. He would have me

receive them as friends and then entrap them and slay them as enemies, as though a Son of the Sacred Race and the pure Blood could do so base a thing as that!

“No, dearest, thou mayst calm thy fears. I shall know how to guard our land and our people should it come to open warfare with them, but they are coming now as envoys on a mission of peace, and as such they must be received with all honour and kindness. What quarrel have we with them or they with us? It may be that they come to treat with me for Atahuallpa’s ransom. Well, if they want gold for that they shall have it, not to buy his freedom but his person. If they will deliver him in his chains into my hands they shall have all the gold that they and their strange beasts can carry away with them—ay, if I strip the very palaces and temples to give it to them—for then when they were gone I would do justice on him for the murder of my brother and my Lord, and I would reign over the whole land and there should be peace in it again.”

Nahua looked up at him again and said, smiling sadly and gently shaking her head—

“Nay, my Lord and my beloved, there was truth in my dream, and my heart tells me there will never be peace in the Land of the Four Regions while one of these strangers remains alive within it. But that Anda-Huillac can tell thee better than I. I can only give thee what my heart has given me, and pray thee, for my love’s sake, to listen to it.”

“And so I will listen, dearest of my counsellors,” he answered, stooping down, and kissing the lips that were held up to him with such tempting pleading; “but with these men I must treat as my great father would have done. Surely thou wouldst not have me dishonour his name and his blood with treachery or violence to those who come as envoys? Yet fear nothing for me, I shall take all means to guard myself and those who trust me. If they come with clean hearts and straight tongues they shall find me a friend and a prince who can give without stint, but if they come as enemies, whether open or hidden, they shall find that some share of the spirit of the great Huayna dwells in his son Manco.

“But see, our talk must come to an end for a time, for yonder is Anda-Huillac himself with his priests come to summon me to the ceremony; so farewell for awhile, dearest. When it is over I will take care that thou shalt be by my side when I receive the Strangers, and then thou shalt judge of their looks and their speech for thyself.”

CHAPTER VII.

DE SOTO’S AUDIENCE

THE ceremony of proclaiming the young prince Inca-Regent and Protector was brief and simple, though by no means without a due impressiveness. Escorted by a procession of the Priests of the Sun and the Curacas of Cuzco and the other towns in the valley, who had been summoned the evening before, he entered the great Sanctuary of the Temple, where, laying his hands upon the altar, and looking up at the great image of the Sun upon the wall above it, he swore to rule according to the Ancient Laws as long as he should hold his office, and to instantly relinquish it as soon as it should be shown that his brother Huascar was still alive and restored to freedom; that he would defend the throne and country against all enemies, whether from within or without, and that, should it be proved that the Usurper had in truth compassed the death of Huascar, he would neither rest nor spare toil or danger until he had meted out to him the punishment due to so awful a crime.

After this Anda-Huillac, the Villac-Umu, or Chief Priest of the Sun, took the yellow Llautu, or turban, which betokened his princely rank, from his brow, and replaced it with the red one which was only worn by the reigning Inca. But there was one of the insignia of royalty wanting, and this was the imperial borla, the fringe of intertwined scarlet and gold thread, which Manco had vowed never to assume, come what might, until the Usurper had paid the penalty of his crimes, and he was undisputed lord of all the land that had owned the sway of his father.

Thus semi-crowned he was escorted back to the palace of Viracocha, fronting the great central square of the city, and there his attendants buckled on the polished steel cuirass which his friend Valdez had bequeathed to him, and girded him with the long, straight sword, for which his own artificers had made a golden sheath of very cunning and beautiful workmanship, and a sword-belt

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