Researchers Develop Minimally Invasive Endovascular Neural Interface for Brain Stimulation
Scientists have created a fully endovascular neural implant smaller than 1 cubic millimeter that can be delivered through blood vessels like a stent to stimulate neural circuits. The device uses ultrasound for wireless power and data transmission, and was successfully tested in rabbits to modulate blood pressure through autonomic nervous system stimulation. This technology could enable less invasive alternatives to conventional brain implants for treating neurological and immune disorders.
Researchers have demonstrated a breakthrough in minimally invasive neural interfaces by developing a sub-1-millimeter implant that travels through blood vessels rather than requiring surgical implantation in the brain. The device integrates piezoelectric transducers, energy storage, a custom integrated circuit, and electrodes on a thin polyimide scaffold, and can be deployed through a microcatheter in a procedure similar to placing a neurovascular stent. The implant uses ultrasound for wireless power delivery and data telemetry in a way that functions regardless of device orientation. In animal testing, the researchers successfully used the implant to stimulate the autonomic nervous system from the carotid artery and achieved modulation of blood pressure in rabbits. The researchers suggest this platform could enable both stimulation and recording capabilities across a broad range of therapeutic applications for modulating brain, autonomic, and immune functions.
What's missing
The study does not discuss potential limitations of the approach, such as the precision of targeting specific neural circuits through endovascular delivery, long-term biocompatibility and safety concerns, timeline to human trials, or how this technology compares quantitatively to existing implantable neural interfaces in terms of stimulation efficacy and spatial resolution.
What different sources said
- bioRxivCenter
A Fully Endovascular Neural Interface
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