Scientists create a needle-thin brain implant that can do three jobs at once
Researchers have developed a new needle-thin brain implant called the mAxialtrode, which combines neural activity recording, medication delivery, and potential electrical/light stimulation within a single device. Made of soft, plastic-like optical fibers, it aims to reduce tissue irritation compared to traditional hard implants.
Why it matters
This technology offers a more precise and less invasive way to study the brain and could lead to advanced treatments for neurological conditions like epilepsy, improving both research capabilities and patient outcomes.
A new type of brain implant could give scientists a more precise way to study the brain and may eventually contribute to treatments for neurological conditions such as epilepsy.
Researchers from DTU, the University of Copenhagen, University College London, and other institutions have developed a long, needle-thin brain electrode equipped with microscopic channels. Known as the microfluidic Axialtrode (mAxialtrode), the device is designed to provide multiple functional points along the length of the implant. This allows researchers to record neural activity and deliver medication to specific locations across different parts of the brain.
The findings were published in the journal Advanced Science.
For now, the technology is primarily intended as a research tool. Scientists could use it to investigate how signals travel through different layers of the brain during processes involving epilepsy, memory, and decision-making.
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