summary: Researchers have developed a flexible, biodegradable electrode that can stimulate neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the brain, providing a safer and more precise alternative for neural repair. The electrodes naturally dissolve after 7 days, eliminating the need for surgical removal while promoting tissue regeneration.
The device, made with FDA-approved materials, successfully increased NPC activity in preclinical models without causing significant inflammation or damage. This innovation has the potential to significantly expand treatment options for neurological diseases that are a leading cause of disability worldwide.
Future developments aim to integrate drug and gene therapy delivery into electrodes to increase therapeutic potential.
Important facts:
- Innovative design: Biodegradable electrodes stimulate nerve repair without the need for surgical removal.
- Targeted activation: Stimulating neural progenitor cells promotes repair of damaged brain tissue.
- Future possibilities: The researchers plan to incorporate drug and gene therapy into the device.
sauce: University of Toronto
Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a flexible, biodegradable electrode that can stimulate neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the brain. This electrode can deliver targeted electrical stimulation for up to seven days before dissolving on its own.
The researchers’ approach shows the potential to advance the treatment of neurological disorders, which are a leading cause of disability around the world, by harnessing the body’s natural repair mechanisms.
Neurological diseases often cause irreversible cell loss, but stimulating NPCs, rare cells capable of repairing neural tissue, has shown promise in expanding limited treatment options. has been.
However, existing methods such as transcranial direct current stimulation lack precision and can cause tissue damage. Meanwhile, the electrode developed by U of T researchers provides precise, safe and temporary stimulation without the need for subsequent surgical intervention.
“Our findings show that this electrode can stimulate nerve repair in a controlled and temporary manner, which is important to avoid complications associated with permanent implants,” says the study. said Tianhao Chen, a biomedical engineering doctoral student and lead author.
This study was published in the current issue. biomaterials, The research was led by Hani Naguib, professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, and Cindy Morshead, professor of surgery and concurrent appointment in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. Institute of Biomedical Engineering.
“Neural progenitor cells have great potential to repair damaged brain tissue, but existing methods of activating these cells can be invasive or imprecise.” morse head Say.
“Our biodegradable electrodes provide a solution that combines effective stimulation with reduced risk to patients.”
To design a biodegradable neural probe, the team focused on materials that offer both biocompatibility and tunable degradation rates.
Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), a flexible material approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is predictable based on monomer ratio and minimizes inflammatory effects, making it compatible with substrates. selected for the insulation layer.
Molybdenum was chosen for the electrode itself due to its durability and slow solubility. These properties are essential to maintain structural integrity during the intended 1-week stimulation period.
This electrode was implanted in a preclinical model and demonstrated the ability to effectively stimulate NPCs and increase their number and activity without causing significant tissue damage or inflammation.
This test confirmed the safety of the electrodes and their effectiveness for nerve repair stimulation within the target period.
“Our plan is to develop this technology further by creating multimodal, biodegradable electrodes that can deliver drugs and gene therapy to the damaged brain,” Morshead says.
“We have exciting data showing that activating brain stem cells with our electrical stimulator improves functional outcomes in preclinical models of stroke.”
About this Neurology and Neurotechnology Research News
author: Ching Dai
sauce: University of Toronto
contact: Ching Dai – University of Toronto
image: Image credited to Neuroscience News
Original research: Open access.
“Biodegradable stimulating electrode for resident neural stem cell activation in vivo” written by Tianhao Chen et al. biomaterial
abstract
Biodegradable stimulating electrode for resident neural stem cell activation in vivo
Brain stimulation is recognized as a clinically effective strategy for treating neurological disorders.
Endogenous cranial neural progenitor cells (NPCs) have been shown to be electrosensitive cells that respond to electrical stimulation by increasing in number, undergoing directional cathodal migration, and differentiating into a neural phenotype. in vivosupporting the application of electrical stimulation to promote nerve repair.
In this study, we present the design of a flexible and biodegradable brain stimulation electrode for temporally regulated neuromodulation of NPCs.
Taking advantage of the cathodically distorted electrochemical window of molybdenum and the volume charge transfer properties of conductive polymers, we designed an electrode with high charge injection capacity for delivering biphasic unipolar stimulation.
We demonstrate that the electrodes are biocompatible and can deliver sufficient electric fields to activate NPCs for 7 days after implantation before being reabsorbed at physiological conditions, obviating the need for surgical extraction. Masu.
This biodegradable electrode demonstrated its potential for use in NPC-based neural repair strategies.
