System Department of Neurosurgery, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, USA.
Computational Diagnostics, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Sensors (Basel). 2021 Nov 15;21(22):7581. doi: 10.3390/s21227581.
Advancements in electrode technologies to both stimulate and record the central nervous system's electrical activities are enabling significant improvements in both the understanding and treatment of different neurological diseases. However, the current neural recording and stimulating electrodes are metallic, requiring invasive and damaging methods to interface with neural tissue. These electrodes may also degrade, resulting in additional invasive procedures. Furthermore, metal electrodes may cause nerve damage due to their inherent rigidity. This paper demonstrates that novel electrically conductive organic fibers (ECFs) can be used for direct nerve stimulation. The ECFs were prepared using a standard polyester material as the structural base, with a carbon nanotube ink applied to the surface as the electrical conductor. We report on three experiments: the first one to characterize the conductive properties of the ECFs; the second one to investigate the fiber cytotoxic properties in vitro; and the third one to demonstrate the utility of the ECF for direct nerve stimulation in an in vivo rodent model.
电极技术的进步使得刺激和记录中枢神经系统电活动成为可能，这为深入了解和治疗各种神经疾病带来了显著的改善。然而，现有的神经记录和刺激电极是金属的，需要采用侵入性和破坏性的方法与神经组织相连接。这些电极也可能会发生退化，导致需要更多的侵入性手术。此外，金属电极可能会由于其固有刚性而对神经造成损伤。本文展示了新型导电有机纤维（ECF）可用于直接神经刺激。通过使用标准的聚酯材料作为结构基底，并在表面涂覆碳纳米管油墨作为导电体，制备了 ECF。我们报告了三个实验：第一个实验是为了表征 ECF 的导电性能；第二个实验是为了研究纤维的体外细胞毒性；第三个实验是为了证明 ECF 在体内啮齿动物模型中直接神经刺激的实用性。
