Resorbable PLGA Microneedles to Insert Ultra-fine Electrode Arrays in Neural Tissue for Chronic Recording

Frederik Ceyssens, Marta Bovet Carmona, Dries Kil, Marjolijn Deprez, Bart Nuttin, Aya Takeoka, Detlef Balschun, Robert Puers

2018

Abstract

Recent work has indicated that it is possible to keep artificial structures such as neural electrode arrays in close contact with neural tissue over chronic timescales, without the formation of scar tissue. The main factor allowing this is a compliance of the structures close to that of the tissue it is embedded in. However, as this results in structures that are too weak to be inserted as such, the question comes up which insertion strategy to use. In this work, we investigate the use of polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) for this purpose. A process was devised that allows to micromachine needle-shaped PLGA structures, and to embed ultra fine electrode arrays in the needle. The electrode arrays are fabricated using thin-film polyimide technology. They are only 1 micrometer thick, and contain 15 micrometer diameter iridium oxide electrodes aimed at single neuron recording. The implants were tested in vivo over chronic timescales in rats, and were evaluated based on evoked potential and action potential recording as well as post mortem histology (GFAP and NeuN stain). It was concluded that scarring was minimal but still present, with a GFAP scar about 5x smaller in area than the cross section of the PLGA needle itself. The electric recordigs are stable for at least the 4-month duration of the experiment.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Ceyssens F., Ceyssens F., Carmona M., Carmona M., Kil D., Kil D., Deprez M., Deprez M., Nuttin B., Nuttin B., Takeoka A., Takeoka A., Balschun D., Balschun D., Puers R. and Puers R. (2018). Resorbable PLGA Microneedles to Insert Ultra-fine Electrode Arrays in Neural Tissue for Chronic Recording.In NEUROTECHNIX 2018 - Extended Abstracts - Volume 1: NEUROTECHNIX, ISBN , pages 6-9

in Bibtex Style

@conference{neurotechnix18,
author={Frederik Ceyssens and Frederik Ceyssens and Marta Bovet Carmona and Marta Bovet Carmona and Dries Kil and Dries Kil and Marjolijn Deprez and Marjolijn Deprez and Bart Nuttin and Bart Nuttin and Aya Takeoka and Aya Takeoka and Detlef Balschun and Detlef Balschun and Robert Puers and Robert Puers},
title={Resorbable PLGA Microneedles to Insert Ultra-fine Electrode Arrays in Neural Tissue for Chronic Recording},
booktitle={NEUROTECHNIX 2018 - Extended Abstracts - Volume 1: NEUROTECHNIX,},
year={2018},
pages={6-9},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={},
isbn={},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - NEUROTECHNIX 2018 - Extended Abstracts - Volume 1: NEUROTECHNIX,
TI - Resorbable PLGA Microneedles to Insert Ultra-fine Electrode Arrays in Neural Tissue for Chronic Recording
SN -
AU - Ceyssens F.
AU - Ceyssens F.
AU - Carmona M.
AU - Carmona M.
AU - Kil D.
AU - Kil D.
AU - Deprez M.
AU - Deprez M.
AU - Nuttin B.
AU - Nuttin B.
AU - Takeoka A.
AU - Takeoka A.
AU - Balschun D.
AU - Balschun D.
AU - Puers R.
AU - Puers R.
PY - 2018
SP - 6
EP - 9
DO -