In vivo brain temperature mapping using polymer optical fiber Bragg grating sensors

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Neuroscience
• Materials Science

Background:

• Brain temperature variations are influenced by blood flow, oxygen, and neural metabolism.
• Localized brain temperature monitoring is crucial for understanding brain functions and neurological disorders like stroke and epilepsy.
• Polymer optical fibers (POFs) show promise for in vivo brain temperature sensing but haven't been utilized previously.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an implantable probe for precise intracranial brain temperature mapping.
• To assess the feasibility of using microstructured polymer optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors for in vivo brain temperature monitoring.
• To investigate the correlation between local brain temperature and core body temperature in a rat model.

Main Methods:

• Development of an implantable probe featuring a microstructured polymer optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor.
• In vivo implantation of the FBG sensor probe into a rat's brain, starting from the cerebral cortex.
• Recording of temperature at various brain depths and correlation with core body temperature.

Main Results:

• The developed FBG sensor probe enabled real-time, high-resolution intracranial brain temperature mapping.
• The sensor achieved a sensitivity of 33 pm/°C and an accuracy of less than 0.2°C.
• Demonstrated correlation between brain temperature at different depths and the rat's core body temperature.

Conclusions:

• The novel implantable FBG sensor probe is effective for in vivo brain temperature measurement.
• This technology offers a new tool for studying brain function and neurological diseases.
• The sensor can be integrated with existing neural interfaces for advanced brain monitoring.