A new needle-thin brain implant can record neural activity, deliver drugs, and stimulate multiple brain regions simultaneously. This flexible device offers a more precise and less invasive method for brain research. It may also lead to new treatments for neurological disorders like epilepsy.
Researchers from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), the University of Copenhagen, and University College London developed the microfluidic Axialtrode (mAxialtrode). This implant is a long, needle-thin electrode with microscopic channels. It provides multiple functional points along its length.
The mAxialtrode allows scientists to record neural activity and deliver medication to specific locations. It can target different parts of the brain. The device is made of soft, plastic-like optical fibers. Its angled tip reduces damage during implantation.
This technology is currently a research tool. It can help investigate how signals travel through brain layers during processes like epilepsy, memory, and decision-making. Future applications could include delivering drugs and electrical or light stimulation to precise brain areas. This would allow for more targeted therapies.
The implant begins as a polymer rod. Researchers heat and draw it into an extremely thin fiber, less than half a millimeter across. A light-conducting core runs through the center. Eight microscopic channels surround it, transporting liquids or holding thin metal wires for electrical activity measurement. The device’s flexibility allows it to move with brain tissue, potentially reducing inflammation.
Tests in living mice demonstrated the device's capabilities. It stimulated nerve cells with blue and red light. It recorded electrical activity from shallow and deeper brain regions, including the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Researchers also injected substances at different depths. All functions were performed with a single, lightweight fiber, causing no apparent discomfort to the mice.
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