“…activated at any time simply by applying a magnetic field outside the body.”
Scientists envision that the tiny discs, which are about 250 nanometers across (about 1/500 the width of a human hair), would be injected directly into the desired location in the brain. From there, they could be activated at any time simply by applying a magnetic field outside the body. The new particles could quickly find applications in biomedical research, and eventually, after sufficient testing, might be applied to clinical uses.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a common clinical procedure that uses electrodes implanted in the target brain regions to treat symptoms of neurological and psychiatric conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Despite its efficacy, the surgical difficulty and clinical complications associated with DBS limit the number of cases where such an invasive procedure is warranted. The new nanodiscs could provide a much more benign way of achieving the same results.
Over the past decade other implant-free methods of producing brain stimulation have been developed. However, these magnetic methods relied on genetic modifications and can’t be used in humans.
…these composite particles can deliver electrical pulses to neurons when exposed to magnetic fields.
One key to the discs’ effectiveness is their disc shape. While these nanodiscs could in principle already be applied to basic research using animal models, to translate them to clinical use in humans would require several more steps, including large-scale safety studies, “which is something academic researchers are not necessarily most well-positioned to do,” Anikeeva says. “When we find that these particles are really useful in a particular clinical context, then we imagine that there will be a pathway for them to undergo more rigorous large animal safety studies.”
SOURCE MATERIAL: Tiny magnetic discs offer remote brain stimulation without transgenes
The devices could be a useful tool for biomedical research, and possible clinical use in the future.
David L. Chandler | MIT News
Publication Date:
October 11, 2024
https://news.mit.edu/2024/tiny-magnetic-discs-offer-remote-brain-stimulation-without-transgenes-1011
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-024-01798-9
