Nanoelectronic mesh developed to help study brain function

MIT Technology Review : A new implantable electronic mesh has been developed for recording and stimulating the electrical signals of the brain. Such a device could be used to treat various brain dysfunctions, like schizophrenia, or to deliver therapeutic stimulation in people with disabilities or neurodegenerative diseases. Made of nanoscale wires and polymers, the mesh was designed by Charles Lieber of Harvard University and colleagues to be orders of magnitude tinier and more flexible than previous such devices. The scaffold-like structure is injected into the brain with a syringe and unfolds to fit the available space. Over time the mesh integrates with the brain tissue, and electronic sensors built into it can take measurements of cell activity in a given region. The device has proven to function successfully in mice for periods of several months. The group’s next goal is to extend the life of the device to as much as a year before trying it out on human patients.