Discovery of Undescribed Brain Tissue Changes Around Implanted Microelectrode Arrays
Brain-implantable microelectrode arrays are devicesdesigned to record or electrically stimulate the activity ofneurons in the brain. These devices hold the potential tohelp treat epilepsy, paralysis, blindness, and deafness, andalso provide researchers with insights into a varietyof neural processes...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Purdue University Press
2012-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research |
| Online Access: | http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1035&context=jpur |
| _version_ | 1818109562652196864 |
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| author | Himanshi Desai |
| author_facet | Himanshi Desai |
| author_sort | Himanshi Desai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Brain-implantable microelectrode arrays are devicesdesigned to record or electrically stimulate the activity ofneurons in the brain. These devices hold the potential tohelp treat epilepsy, paralysis, blindness, and deafness, andalso provide researchers with insights into a varietyof neural processes, such as memory formation.While these devices have a very promising future,researchers are discovering that their long-termfunctionality is greatly limited by the brain’s naturalimmune response to foreign objects. To improve thefunctional lifetime of these devices, one solution lies infully characterizing and understanding this tissue response.Roles for microglia and astrocytes in this biologicalresponse have been characterized. However, changesto oligodendrocytes, cells that myelinate axons, remainpoorly understood. These cells provide insulationto the axons, which is required for proper neuralfunctioning. Here we report on the changes that occurwith oligodendrocyte processes in tissue aroundmicroelectrode implants in the brain.Six rats were surgically implanted with microelectrodearrays and allowed to recover for 1, 2, or 4 weeks.Subjects were then sacrificed and the brain tissue wasprocessed using our recently developed method, Device-Capture Histology. Immunohistochemistry and confocalmicroscopy was employed to assess the responsearound the device. Results indicated a decrease inoligodendrocyte density and a loss in typical directionalorientation of oligodendrocyte processes in tissue near thedevice. These results suggest alterations in the underlyingneuronal networks around these devices, which maygreatly impact the current functional utility of thesepromising devices. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T02:33:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-255413784e1e487aa2596c0ae6ae858b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2158-4044 2158-4052 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T02:33:14Z |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Purdue University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-255413784e1e487aa2596c0ae6ae858b2022-12-22T01:23:47ZengPurdue University PressJournal of Purdue Undergraduate Research2158-40442158-40522012-01-01283Discovery of Undescribed Brain Tissue Changes Around Implanted Microelectrode ArraysHimanshi DesaiBrain-implantable microelectrode arrays are devicesdesigned to record or electrically stimulate the activity ofneurons in the brain. These devices hold the potential tohelp treat epilepsy, paralysis, blindness, and deafness, andalso provide researchers with insights into a varietyof neural processes, such as memory formation.While these devices have a very promising future,researchers are discovering that their long-termfunctionality is greatly limited by the brain’s naturalimmune response to foreign objects. To improve thefunctional lifetime of these devices, one solution lies infully characterizing and understanding this tissue response.Roles for microglia and astrocytes in this biologicalresponse have been characterized. However, changesto oligodendrocytes, cells that myelinate axons, remainpoorly understood. These cells provide insulationto the axons, which is required for proper neuralfunctioning. Here we report on the changes that occurwith oligodendrocyte processes in tissue aroundmicroelectrode implants in the brain.Six rats were surgically implanted with microelectrodearrays and allowed to recover for 1, 2, or 4 weeks.Subjects were then sacrificed and the brain tissue wasprocessed using our recently developed method, Device-Capture Histology. Immunohistochemistry and confocalmicroscopy was employed to assess the responsearound the device. Results indicated a decrease inoligodendrocyte density and a loss in typical directionalorientation of oligodendrocyte processes in tissue near thedevice. These results suggest alterations in the underlyingneuronal networks around these devices, which maygreatly impact the current functional utility of thesepromising devices.http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1035&context=jpur |
| spellingShingle | Himanshi Desai Discovery of Undescribed Brain Tissue Changes Around Implanted Microelectrode Arrays Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research |
| title | Discovery of Undescribed Brain Tissue Changes Around Implanted Microelectrode Arrays |
| title_full | Discovery of Undescribed Brain Tissue Changes Around Implanted Microelectrode Arrays |
| title_fullStr | Discovery of Undescribed Brain Tissue Changes Around Implanted Microelectrode Arrays |
| title_full_unstemmed | Discovery of Undescribed Brain Tissue Changes Around Implanted Microelectrode Arrays |
| title_short | Discovery of Undescribed Brain Tissue Changes Around Implanted Microelectrode Arrays |
| title_sort | discovery of undescribed brain tissue changes around implanted microelectrode arrays |
| url | http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1035&context=jpur |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT himanshidesai discoveryofundescribedbraintissuechangesaroundimplantedmicroelectrodearrays |