China3D printingNet October 4th, researchers have developed a new3D printingTechnology that can quickly customize muscle and nerve implants to monitor and restore motor and autonomous functions. Neural interfaces can be used to connect the brain to a computer and enable customized bioelectronics technology to treat patients with neurological problems such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
In a new study published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, Ivan Minev, a professor of intelligent medical technology at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, and Pavel, the head of the Neural Repair Laboratory at St. Petersburg State University, Russia・The team led by Pavel Musienko created a nerve implant to stimulate the spinal cord of animal models with spinal cord injury. The technology now has the potential to develop new treatments for paralyzed human patients.
Electrode implants printed with platinum particles and silicone can adapt to the anatomical structure of the power source tissue. Image courtesy of St. Petersburg State University/University of Sheffield.
Since St. Petersburg State University has developed the NeuroPrint hybrid3D printingTechnology, so this new approach for patients becomes possible. They used the 3DDiscovery bioprinter from the Swiss 3D biotechnology company RegenHU to create the geometry of future implants made of silicone-this silicone can also be used as an insulating material. Particles of platinum or another conductive element of the implant are then applied to the frame, and then the surface is activated by cold plasma.
The number and configuration of electrodes in nerve implants can be changed to produce devices for implantation in spinal cord, brain or muscle tissue. In addition, the average production time from project creation to prototyping is only 24 hours. The ability of hybrid printing to integrate soft materials and composite materials into bioelectronic devices has proven to be very suitable for various anatomical structures and experimental models to study, enable and restore the functions of the neuromuscular system.
Neuroscientists have used NeuroPrint technology to study various model objects. By monitoring and activating neuronal pathways in the brain, spinal cord, and neuromuscular system of cats, rats, and zebrafish, the research team showed that the printed bioelectronic interface can achieve long-term integration and functional stability.
Musienko said: “We have tested our development in experiments with freely moving rats to record long-term electrical cortical signals in the cerebral cortex, which is an essential element of the brain-computer interface. Experiments on paralyzed animals show that the neural network’s Electrical stimulation can effectively restore motor function. Therefore, when people suffer from various diseases and injuries, NeuroPrint technology provides new opportunities for basic research and nerve repair of the central nervous system.”
According to this research, a neuromuscular interface is needed to translate bioelectronic technology for clinical medicine. Neural interfaces establish communication between biological systems and electronic devices, which is why the possibility of interfacing with neural circuits has attracted a new generation of researchers and companies, such as Elon Musk’s neural engineering company Neuralink , Its purpose is to create a brain-computer interface to help individuals paralyze. Scientific tool developer Qrons also announced the research and development of innovative 3D printable biocompatible materials to treat penetrating brain injury. Earlier this year, a team of MIT researchers created implants that are not only soft enough for the human body but also conductive enough to interact with the human brain.
A prototype of a soft bio-electronic implant used as a neuromuscular interface. Image courtesy of the University of Sheffield.
It is the ambition of many researchers to link the human brain to the computer through a neural interface. However, innovation in this field is hampered by the huge cost and the long-term development required to develop prototypes, which are necessary to explore new therapies. According to the University of Sheffield, this technology is expected to bring new treatments for neurological injuries based on the fusion of biological and electronic technologies, and has great potential. Vision relies on implants that can sense and provide tiny electrical impulses in the brain and nervous system.Through this new research, the team showed how to use3D printingTechnology is faster and more economical to manufacture prototype implants, thus accelerating research and development in this field. The research team claims that the implant can easily target specific areas or problems in the nervous system.
Moreover, using new technologies, neuroscientists can order designs, and engineering teams can convert them into computer models that provide instructions to printers. The printer will then apply a palette of biocompatible mechanically soft materials to realize the design. If changes are needed, the implant can be quickly modified, thus providing neuroscientists with a faster and cheaper way to test their ideas for potential treatments.
“Our research at the Dresden University of Technology (Dresden University of Technology), and then in Sheffield (Sheffield) proved how to use3D printingProducing prototype implants at unprecedented speed and cost, while maintaining standards requires the development of a useful device. Minev explained. ” 3D printingThe powerful function of the device means that the prototype implant can be quickly replaced and copied again as needed to help promote the research and innovation of neural interfaces. “
The integrated platform for hybrid printing combines inkjet dispensing of low-viscosity conductive inks, extrusion of insulating silicone pastes, and in-situ surface activation by cold air plasma. Image courtesy of St. Petersburg State University/University of Sheffield.
China3D printingNet Comments: Researchers show that3D printingThe machine can produce implants that can communicate with the brain and nerves. After doing these early work, their goal was to demonstrate the robustness of the device after prolonged implantation. However, the ambition of the researchers is to translate their work into the clinic and open up the possibility of personalized medicine for neurosurgeons. Minev and Musienko expressed their hope to see innovative nerve implant technology in the operating room. This implies that perhaps in the future, while preparing patients for surgery in the hospital, it is possible to produce nerve implants for patients in the hospital.
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