Summary: A recent study found that combining the anti-inflammatory medicine dexamethasone with the coating of neurological prosthetic implants helps to lessen the body’s immune response and the formation of scar tissue. This approach improves the stability and long-term performance of the wires used to attach prosthetic legs to the nervous system.
Scientists chemically altered the polyimide wires ‘ surface to allow for a gradual release of the medicine over the course of two months at the implant site. Animal tests demonstrated a milestone for persistent neuroprosthetic use by substantially reducing inflammation while maintaining biocompatibility.
Important Information
- Innovation in substance coating: For sustained native release, dexamethasone was covalently bound to the anode area.
- Reduced Immune Response: Preclinical types ‘ coating reduced swelling and scar tissue.
- Improved Stability: Over the course of crucial initial months, implants maintained biodegradability and electrical performance.
Origin: UAB
A new method has been developed to lessen the immune response caused by neural implants used after leg surgery or severe muscle injuries by an worldwide research team that includes researchers from the Institut de Neurociències at the Universitat Autnoma de Barcelona ( UAB).
A strong anti-inflammatory drug is applied to the electric implants, which connect the bionic system to the hospital’s nervous system. This coating improves the implant’s long-term stability and performance by allowing the body to handle it more effectively.
Neurological cathode implants are frequently used in implants to re-establish communication between the system and the nervous system.
However, the body’s natural immune response to foreign items can affect their long-term performance, which causes the growth of scar tissues around the implant and may affect its performance.
A novel method was developed to enhance the biodegradability and severe security of these wires, according to a recent study carried out in a cooperative initiative with experts from the Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, the Università della Ferrara, the University of Freiburg, and Chalmers University of Technology.
The method involves activating and changing the edge of thermoplastic, a material commonly used for placed electrodes, using a chemical process that enables the chemical bound of the anti-inflammatory drug corticosteroids.
This innovation allows for a gradual release of the drug at the implant site over the course of at least two months, which is typically the time when the immune system develops its most potent response.
This approach, according to biological tests, reduces immune cell inflammation-related signals while maintaining the material’s biocompatibilities and mechanical integrity.
Animal testing further demonstrated that the dexamethasone-releasing implants significantly lessen immune responses and the formation of scar tissue around the device.
These findings provide a strong indication that the implantable neurotechnology’s slow and local release of dexamethasone from the implant surface could increase the functional lifespan of neural prostheses.
According to Dr. Xavier Navarro, principal investigator of the UAB team in the BioFINE project,” this is a main step that needs to be complemented by the demonstration in vivo that this coating improves the functional performance of chronically implanted electrodes in the peripheral nerves, for stimulating and recording nerve signals.”
About this news about neurotechnology and neuroscience
Author: Octavi Lopez
Source: UAB
Contact: Octavi Lopez – UAB
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
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Xavier Navarro and colleagues ‘” Improves biocompatibility of neural implantable devices by covalent binding dexamethasone to polyimide.” advanced medical supplies
Abstract
Improves biocompatibility of neural implantable devices by covalent binding dexamethasone to polyimide
Neural implants are frequently used in prosthetic applications to communicate with the peripheral nervous system, but foreign body reactions ( FBR ) cause their long-term functionality to be compromised.
Polyimide , poly(biphenyl dianhydride ) –p–phenylenediamine ( BPDA-PDA ) is a suitable material for the fabrication of ultrathin and ultra-flexible neural implants due to its high biocompatibility.
This study examines the surface functionalization of the neural implant’s electrically inert component, BPDA-PDA.
Dexamethasone’s novelty comes from the fact that it is covalently bound to BPDA-PDA, enabling its sustained release over at least 9 weeks.
In vitro experiments show that this approach lessens the production of pro-inflammatory markers in macrophages.
Additionally, the functionalized material’s biocompatibility was verified by examining the dorsal root ganglia ( DRG ) neurons ‘ viability.
Additionally, DEX-functionalized BPDA-PDA substrates were implanted in vivo, and fibrotic capsule formation and infiltration decreased markedly.
These findings suggest that local DEX release from the electrically inert scaffold of neural implants may reduce the FBR by enhancing their long-term stability and performance.
