admin A team of scientists in Korea and the United States have created a tiny, smartphone-controlled brain implant capable of selectively manipulating brain cell circuits and uncovering neurological problems, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, addiction and depression, a new study finds.
The device, using Lego-like replaceable drug cartridges and powerful Bluetooth low-energy, can target specific neurons of interest using drug and light for prolonged periods.
“The wireless neural device enables chronic chemical and optical neuromodulation that has never been achieved before,” said lead author Raza Qazi, a researcher with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and University of Colorado Boulder.
The tech has only been studied in mice so far, with the implant inserted into the rodents’ brains via a hair-thin probe. Scientists then controlled the implant with their smartphone, changing drug quantities and light sequencing with the touch of a finger and manipulating the mice’s movement for over a month.
Previously, the most cutting-edge neuroscience tech required bulky metal tubes and optic fibres that caused brain lesions and didn’t last as long.
“This revolutionary device is the fruit of advanced electronics design and powerful micro and nanoscale engineering,” said Jae-Woong Jeong, a professor of electrical engineering at KAIST. “We are interested in further developing this technology to make a brain implant for clinical applications.”
Michael Bruchas, a professor of anaesthesiology and pain medicine and pharmacology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, said this technology will help researchers in many ways.
Michael Bruchas, a professor of anaesthesiology and pain medicine and pharmacology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, said this technology will help researchers in many ways.
“It allows us to better dissect the neural circuit basis of behaviour, and how specific neuromodulators in the brain tune behaviour in various ways,” he said. “We are also eager to use the device for complex pharmacological studies, which could help us develop new therapeutics for pain, addiction, and emotional disorders.”
This work was supported by grants from the National Research Foundation of Korea, U.S. National Institute of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and Mallinckrodt Professorship.
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