Structurally engineered ultrasoft PEDOT:PSS fiber microelectrodes with enhanced electrochemical performance for...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Stable neural interfacing is crucial for diagnosing and treating chronic neurological disorders.
• Flexible neural probes offer reduced tissue damage and inflammation but face challenges in balancing electrical performance and mechanical properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an all-organic neural probe with high electrical performance and tissue-like mechanics for chronic applications.
• To demonstrate the capability of the probe for stable single-neuron recordings in vivo.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) fiber microelectrode (PFME) without thermal processing.
• Posttreatment to remove PSS binder and align PEDOT chains for optimized mechanical and electrochemical properties.
• In vivo single-unit recordings in the mouse hippocampus and histological analysis after implantation.

Main Results:

• The PFME demonstrated stable single-unit recordings from the mouse hippocampus.
• Histological analysis showed minimal glial activation after 1 week of implantation, comparable to conventional probes.
• The all-organic probe achieved both high electrical performance and tissue-like mechanical compliance.

Conclusions:

• The structurally engineered PFME provides a promising pathway for minimally invasive neural interfacing platforms.
• This organic probe facilitates stable, long-term neural recording for chronic neurological disorder applications.
• The PFME overcomes the limitations of conventional probes by integrating superior mechanical and electrical properties.