The researchers have yet conduct human trial but they have successfully managed to implant the device, which is about the width of a hair, into the brains of mice. The idea is to deliver the drug directly to specific parts of the brain, which according to the researchers will help reduce the side effects from certain types of drugs.
According to co-principal investigator Michael R. Bruchas, PhD, who is also the associate professor of anesthesiology and neurobiology, “In the future, it should be possible to manufacture therapeutic drugs that could be activated with light. With one of these tiny devices implanted, we could theoretically deliver a drug to a specific brain region and activate that drug with light as needed. This approach potentially could deliver therapies that are much more targeted but have fewer side effects.”
The device can also be used to activate certain brain cells by flashing lights which are also triggered by the remote. The implant has also been designed specially to be soft like brain tissue, thus allowing to reside in the brain for prolonged periods of time without causing damage or inflammation.
Filed in Science.
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