Graphene Technology Tracks Brain Vulnerability After Stroke
Researchers have developed graphene-based sensors capable of monitoring electrical brain activity during a stroke with high precision. This technology helps identify vulnerable brain tissue and can potentially be used to guide treatments that mitigate further damage.
Why it matters
This advancement could significantly improve stroke recovery outcomes by allowing doctors to distinguish between healthy and compromised tissue in real-time.
Scientists have developed a new graphene-based brain monitoring technology that could help doctors better understand what happens in the brain during a stroke and identify areas at risk of further damage.
The research, published in Brain, brought together experts in neuroscience, stroke research, engineering and advanced materials from the University of Manchester, the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM, CSIC) and the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) in Barcelona, together with industry partner Multi Channel Systems in Germany.
When a person has an ischaemic stroke, a blockage cuts off blood supply to part of the brain. However, the damage does not stop immediately. Waves of disrupted electrical activity, known as cortical spreading depolarizations, travel through the injured brain and can cause additional harm. Until now, it has been difficult to measure these signals accurately because existing technologies poorly capture the very slow electrical changes involved.
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