Deployable electrode arrays for brain interfaces: structural reconfiguration strategies for long-term stability and...

Objective.Neural electrode arrays, as essential tools for recording and stimulating neural tissues, significantly impact therapeutic strategies for neurological disorders through deep brain stimulation, responsive neurostimulation, and brain-computer interfaces. Despite considerable advancements, the efficiency and longevity of neural electrode arrays are compromised by brain micromotion, induced by physiological activities such as cardiac pulsation and respiration. The mechanical mismatch between rigid electrode arrays and soft neural tissue generates persistent stresses at the electrode-tissue interface, triggering tissue damage, inflammatory responses, encapsulation, and ultimately electrode failure. Deployable neural electrode arrays, characterized by structural reconfiguration after implantation, have emerged to address these challenges. Deployment mechanisms, including unfolding, expanding, unrolling, or ejecting electrode arms from an initially compact configuration, reduce insertion trauma, maximize spatial coverage, and mitigate brain micromotion effects, thereby enhancing long-term stability and recording fidelity.Approach.This review provides the first comprehensive analysis of deployable intracortical and electrocorticography electrode arrays, emphasizing their design principles, deployment mechanisms, mechanical performance, advantages, and limitations.Main results.This review fills a critical gap in the existing neural electrode literature by transitioning the focus from traditional geometric and material considerations to advanced structural reconfiguration strategies.Significance.An understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of these deployment strategies provides essential insights and future directions for optimizing neural electrode technologies.