A new type of electrode to monitor the brain of epilepsy patients health

Scientists from the University of California San Diego have developed a new type of electrode that will enable them to monitor the brain work of patients Epilepsy Outside the hospital.

Scientists explained that the electrodes will allow them to monitor the work of 128 neurons located deep in the brain.

Shadi Daye, a professor at the university, said, “We are now focusing on using this technology to monitor the brains of patients suffering from treatment-resistant epilepsy, and our ultimate goal is to make this development by 2026 that allows us to wirelessly monitor the activity of neurons in the brains of patients inside hospitals first, and then in hospitals.” home for a very long time.

Scientists reported that the developed electrodes are very thin strips made of several layers of material PolymerBetween them there are other electrically conductive layers made of gold and chromium alloys, as well as platinum and silver. These metal structures are connected to the neurons through a series of special holes in the polymeric membrane, allowing each electrode to interact with extreme precision with only a small number of neurons.

Experiments conducted by scientists showed that the structures have a very high level of flexibility and strength, making it possible to print electrodes up to 15 centimeters long, based on current methods used in manufacturing semiconductors and implanting them in the deep layers of the brain.

The scientists tested the performance of the electrodes they had made in experiments that included two volunteers undergoing surgery to remove tumors from the brain. They implanted the devices deep into the participants’ brains, allowing them to read signals coming from a large number of single neurons located in the cortex and in the deep layers of the brain. The parietal and temporal lobes of the brain.

Scientists hope that their development in the near future will help neurophysiologists study the mechanisms of development of epileptic seizures, as well as other disorders in the functioning of the nervous system.