Melting implant offers hope for brain patients
Monday April 19th, 2010
A new brain implant would "melt" into place, researchers have claimed.
Ultra-thin strips could be fitted "snugly" on to the surface of the brain to help treat conditions such as epilepsy and spine injuries.
The
strips are made partly from silk and are being designed to replace implants
that have to be placed within the brain. The metal electrodes are five
times the thickness of a human hair.
American scientists reported their invention in the journal Nature Materials last night.
Researcher Dr Brian Litt, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, USA, said: "The focus of our study was to make ultrathin arrays that conform to the complex shape of the brain, and limit the amount of tissue damage and inflammation."
Silk has been used because it can be engineered to dissolve after fixed periods of time - and also to avoid causing reactions.
Dr Walter Koroshetz, of the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, said: "These implants have the potential to maximize the contact between electrodes and brain tissue, while minimising damage to the brain.
"They could provide a platform for a range of devices with applications in epilepsy, spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders."
Kim et al. "Dissolvable Films of Silk Fibroin for Ultrathin Conformal Bio-Integrated Electronics." Nature Materials, published online April 18, 2010.
Tags: Brain & Neurology | North America
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