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Published on: May 16, 2019
Black Phosphorus Flake-Enabled Wireless Neuromodulation for Epilepsy Treatment.
Deqi Yang1, Qinjuan Ren1, Jianfang Nie1
1Research Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine; The Institute for Biomedical Engineering & Nano Science, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.
This study presents a novel, non-implantable neuromodulation therapy for epilepsy using near-infrared light and black phosphorus nanomaterials. This approach effectively suppresses seizures in mouse models with minimal invasiveness and high biocompatibility.
Area of Science:
- Nanomedicine
- Neurology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Epilepsy requires invasive brain stimulation for refractory cases, risking inflammation and tissue damage.
- Current treatments often involve chronic electrode implantation, leading to adverse effects.
- There is a need for less invasive therapeutic strategies for epilepsy management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a non-implantable, nanomaterial-enabled neuromodulation therapy for epilepsy.
- To investigate the use of near-infrared (NIR) photothermal neuromodulation for epilepsy treatment.
- To assess the efficacy and biocompatibility of black phosphorus (BP) flakes in epilepsy models.
Main Methods:
- Utilized crystal-exfoliated photothermal black phosphorus (BP) flakes.
- Applied near-infrared (NIR) light for photothermal neuromodulation.
- Evaluated neural activity modulation in hippocampus neurons and slices.
- Tested the suppression of epileptic signals in epilepsy model mice.
Main Results:
- BP flakes enhanced neural activity by altering membrane capacitive currents in hippocampus neurons.
- Optical stimulation with BP flakes evoked action potentials with high spatiotemporal resolution.
- NIR neuromodulation using BP flakes suppressed epileptic signals in mice with minimal invasiveness.
Conclusions:
- Nanomaterial-enabled NIR neuromodulation offers a promising non-implantable therapeutic approach for epilepsy.
- Black phosphorus flakes demonstrate high biocompatibility and efficacy in modulating neural circuits.
- This technology may pave the way for non-implantable optical therapies in non-transgenic organisms.
