Development and Evaluation of Biodegradable Neural Probes

可生物降解神经探针的开发和评估

• 批准号: 7847760
• 负责人: Martin Han
• 金额: $ 3.75万
• 依托单位: HUNTINGTON MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-09-22 至 2010-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7847760
• 关键词: Acute; Animals; Area; Bioglass; Brain; Ceramics; Cerebral cortex; Cerebrospinal Fluid; Chronic; Cochlear Implants; Cognitive; Deep Brain Stimulation; Degenerative Disorder; Deterioration; Development; Devices; Dimensions; Electric Stimulation; Electrodes; Epilepsy; Evaluation; Failure; Future; Glycolates; Goals; Health Benefit; Hippocampus (Brain); Hybrids; Implant; Inflammatory; Inflammatory Response; Injury; Knowledge; Laboratories; Left; Mechanics; Metals; Microelectrodes; Modeling; Neurodegenerative Disorders; Neurosciences; Oryctolagus cuniculus; Parkinson Disease; Penetration; Peripheral Nerves; Polymers; Process; Property; Prosthesis; Psychological reinforcement; Rehabilitation therapy; Research; Sensory; Silicon; Site; Speed; Spinal cord injury; Stroke; Structure; System; Technology; Testing; Thick; Time; Tissues; Visual; base; biodegradable polymer; biomaterial compatibility; brain machine interface; clinical application; depression; design; flexibility; hearing impairment; improved; in vivo; liquid crystal polymer; microstimulation; neural prosthesis; novel; prototype; public health relevance; relating to nervous system; research study; response; tool

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose to develop novel biodegradable probe materials for enhancing recording and stimulation capabilities of microelectrodes used in neural prostheses and neuroscience. Neural prostheses and functional electrical stimulation systems employing microelectrodes continue to improve and expand their applications in treating neural-degenerative diseases as well as providing tools for basic neuroscience. Their present and future applications include brain-machine interfaces, visual and auditory prostheses, cognitive prosthesis (hippocampus), peripheral nerve prostheses, and deep-brain stimulation. The majority of structural materials used in the recording and/or stimulating microelectrode systems, such as silicon, metals, and ceramics, have been rigid. A main hurdle in the development of the microelectrode system for clinical applications has been their proneness to failure during long-term use. Studies have suggested that loss or deterioration of recording and stimulation capabilities may be due to chronic inflammatory tissue responses around the microelectrode sites, and that local shear forces and strain in the tissue due to micromotion between the probes and the tissue contribute to this. Although soft and flexible polymers have been investigated, their flexibility makes insertion into brain targets difficult. We propose to develop probes with transient mechanical properties that will provide high mechanical stiffness during insertion and gradually degrades over time, leaving the non-degrading flexible polymer probe for long-term use. Our main goal is to develop a novel biodegradable neural probe made of polymer-ceramic composites which allow for control of degradation rate as well as provides mechanical reinforcement. Composition and thickness of the composites will be optimized through acute insertion experiment into animals' brains and by soak-test, and their biocompatibility will be evaluated in-vivo. An underlying hypothesis in this design- or technology-driven project is that these biodegradable probes will result in less chronic inflammatory responses than will rigid probes, which in turn, will result in improved long-term functionality. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Significant health benefits will accrue from increased use of neural prostheses with improved long-term functionality. Their clinical applications include rehabilitation following spinal cord injury or stroke, and sensory deficits such as profound hearing loss, as well as treatments of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and depression. The devices described in this application will also advance knowledge in basic and applied neuroscience.

描述（由申请人提供）：我们建议开发新型可生物降解探针材料，用于增强神经假体和神经科学中使用的微电极的记录和刺激能力。采用微电极的神经假体和功能性电刺激系统不断改进和扩展其在治疗神经退行性疾病方面的应用，并为基础神经科学提供工具。它们现在和未来的应用包括脑机接口、视觉和听觉假体、认知假体（海马体）、周围神经假体和深部脑刺激。用于记录和/或刺激微电极系统的大多数结构材料，例如硅、金属和陶瓷，都是刚性的。开发临床应用微电极系统的一个主要障碍是它们在长期使用过程中容易出现故障。研究表明，记录和刺激能力的丧失或恶化可能是由于微电极部位周围的慢性炎症组织反应造成的，并且由于探针和组织之间的微运动而导致的组织中的局部剪切力和应变导致了这一点。尽管已经研究了柔软且柔性的聚合物，但它们的柔性使得插入大脑目标变得困难。 我们建议开发具有瞬态机械性能的探针，该探针将在插入过程中提供高机械刚度，并随着时间的推移逐渐降解，从而使非降解的柔性聚合物探针可以长期使用。我们的主要目标是开发一种由聚合物陶瓷复合材料制成的新型可生物降解神经探针，它可以控制降解速率并提供机械加固。复合材料的组成和厚度将通过动物大脑的急性插入实验和浸泡测试进行优化，并在体内评估其生物相容性。这个设计或技术驱动的项目的一个基本假设是，这些可生物降解的探针将比刚性探针产生更少的慢性炎症反应，从而改善长期功能。 公共健康相关性：增加使用具有改善的长期功能的神经假体将产生显着的健康益处。它们的临床应用包括脊髓损伤或中风后的康复、严重听力损失等感觉缺陷，以及帕金森病、癫痫和抑郁症等神经退行性疾病的治疗。本申请中描述的设备还将增进基础和应用神经科学的知识。