Ultra-flexible Carbon Nanotube Yarn Electrodes that Integrate with Brain

描述(申请人提供)：在过去的30年里，人们对开发电子控制机器和中枢神经系统之间的通信连接产生了广泛的兴趣，用于脊髓损伤、失明、假肢控制和许多其他应用的神经假体。然而，目前所有慢性神经接口技术的应用都受到神经接口缺乏功能稳定性的严重阻碍，这可能是由于相对于柔软和动态的脑的僵硬和栓系的植入物的机制。机械不匹配有三个主要来源：互连、互连-电极超结构和电极本身。机械失配是现有技术的一个普遍公认的缺点，这项拟议的计划将通过创建一种长期可植入的、薄的、基于聚合物的弹性线状互连技术来在很大程度上克服这一缺点，该技术将与大脑表面整合，并将通过具有小但低阻抗活动部位的灵活线状电极访问感兴趣的神经元。拟议工作的目标是开发一种新的皮质神经接口技术，该技术在物理上和永久地与PIA和皮质整合，并且：1)与特定目标神经元保持长期的生理稳定性；2)数十年来坚固可靠；3)易于无损伤地植入；3)使用先进的、无污染、低阻抗/高充电容量的电容电极材料；以及4)能够支持研究人员设计的经济、快速的周转原型运行。实现这一目标的可行性将通过与Foster-Miller，Inc.和InnerSea Technology，Inc.的紧张合作，在一年的时间内进行定量评估。生理稳定性将使用皮质桶受体(WICKER)范例和自动动作电位分类软件进行直接测试。此外，世界上最有经验的定量组织学实验室之一亨廷顿医学研究所将对植入的组织与他们开发的广泛研究的Ir轴电极阵列进行独立、客观的比较组织学分析。在这项拟议的第一阶段工作完成后，将完成以下工作：1)已经确定候选组织集成电极设计，并通过机械测试(BASE)进行验证；2)将为这些设计开发和评估插入技术(BASE和动物)；3)将彻底记录最终电极接触的电化学和电参数(BASE和动物)；4)将已经完成对植入系统相对于目标神经元的生理稳定性的初步测试，并将其与使用Ir阵列在对侧皮质进行的类似测试进行比较；5)将完成对该系统的生物兼容性的初步客观定量评估。第二阶段将开始神经假体和其他研究的有限商业化，确认生物兼容性和生物耐药性，并测试脊髓损伤的临床应用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): For the past 30 years, there has been extensive interest in developing a communication link between electronically controlled machines and the central nervous system for neuroprosthetics for spinal cord injury, blindness, prosthetic control and many other applications. However, all current applications of chronic neural interface technology are substantially hampered by lack of functional stability in the neural interface, possibly due to the mechanics of the stiff and tethered implants relative to the soft and dynamic brain. There are three dominant sources of mechanical mismatch the interconnects, the interconnect-electrode superstructure, and the electrodes themselves. Mechanical mismatch is a widely recognized shortcoming of the existing technology that this proposed program will largely overcome by creating a chronically implantable, thin, polymer based elastic thread-like interconnect technology that will integrate with the brain surface, and will access neurons of interest through flexible, threadlike electrodes with small but low impedance active sites. The objective of the proposed work is to develop a new cortical neural interface technology that physically and permanently integrates with the pia and cortex and that: 1) maintains long term physiological stability with specific target neurons; 2) are rugged and reliable for many decades; 3) can be readily atraumatically implanted; 3) utilizes advanced, non-fouling, low impedance/high charge capacity capacitive electrode material; and 4) could support economical rapid turn-around prototype runs of investigator generated designs. The feasibility of achieving this objective will be quantitatively assessed over the course of one year by an intense collaborative effort with Foster-Miller, Inc and InnerSea Technology, Inc. Physiological stability will be directly tested using a cortical barrel receptor (whisker) paradigm and automated action potential classification software. In addition, one of the most experienced quantitative histology laboratories in the world, Huntington Medical Research Institute, will provide independent, objective comparative histological analysis of the implanted tissues vs the extensively studied Iridium shaft electrode arrays that they have developed. Following the completion of this proposed Phase I work, the following will have been accomplished: 1) candidate tissue integrative electrode designs will have been identified and verified with mechanical testing (bench); 2) insertion techniques for these will have been developed and evaluated (bench and animals); 3) electrochemical and electrical parameters of the final electrode contacts will have been thoroughly documented (bench and animals); 4) preliminary testing of the physiological stability of the implant system relative to target neurons will have been completed and compared to similar testing in the contralateral cortex using Iridium arrays; and 5) initial objective quantitative assessment of the biocompatibility of the system will be complete. Phase II will begin limited commercialization for neuroprosthetics and other research, confirmation of biocompatibility and bioresistance, and testing of clinical applications in spinal cord injury.