A mouse with diabetes. Credit: Copyright Toyohashi University of Technology
Key points:
- Recording neuronal activity within diabetic brain tissue has traditionally been difficult due to disease risk caused by electrode penetration.
- A team in Japan circumvented the risks by using a small needle-electrode with a diameter of only 4 µm.
- The miniaturized needle electrode curtailed tissue injury in mice so much that it was able to record for an entire month.
A research team in Japan has successfully demonstrated low-invasive neural recording technology for the brain tissue of diabetic mice. This was achieved using a small needle-electrode with a diameter of 4 µm.
Traditionally, recording neuronal activity within the diabetic brain tissue has been challenging due to various complications, including the development of cerebrovascular disease due to electrode penetration. However, this miniaturized needle electrode curtailed tissue injury so much that it was able to record for an entire month.
“Diabetes is a complex disease known to cause various complications. These disorders can lead to gangrene in the limbs, ultimately necessitating amputation. Brain-machine interface (BMI) technology holds immense promise in assisting patients who have lost limbs. However, the penetration of conventional electrodes into diabetic brain tissues induces damage, making the application of BMI technology in these patients considerably riskier than others. Recognizing this crucial need, we launched a project to develop a low-invasive recording technique specifically for patients suffering from diabetes-related vascular disorders,” said professor Takeshi Kawano, leader of the research team.
They achieved their goal by demonstrating a neural recording technique in mice using a microelectrode with a tip diameter of only 4 µm.
The research team says their recording technology, thus far demonstrated successfully in diabetic mice, holds significant potential for broader applications, as well. They envision its use in drug discovery studies with diverse model mice for various diseases.
Furthermore, the team aims to expand the technology’s reach to other animal models, including rats and monkeys, to accelerate the development of next-generation brain-machine interfaces with greater efficacy and wider applicability.
“These findings suggest that our electrode can be applied to various damaged brain tissues, not only diabetes but also other diseases,” said first authors of the article, Rioki Sanda and Koji Yamashita.