Wireless technique uses nanoparticles to stimulate brain
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.028705
New Scientist : Magnetic nanoparticles could one day replace the more invasive method of implanting electrodes to achieve deep brain stimulation. Polina Anikeeva of MIT and colleagues inserted the nanoparticles into the brains of three mice. When the researchers applied low-RF magnetic fields, the nanoparticles gave off heat as they worked to realign themselves. That heat prompted the brain’s TRPV1 neurons to fire and send out electrical signals. Unlike the use of electrodes, the new technique requires no implants or wires. Moreover, it could prove better at targeting specific areas of the brain, which is important for the treatment of such neurological disorders as Parkinson’s disease and depression.