Researchers at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) have introduced a new type of brain implant that can deliver drugs to multiple brain regions simultaneously with high precision, Interesting Engineering reports in the Journal of Neural Engineering.
The device is called SPIRAL (Strategic Precision Infusion for Regional Administration of Liquid) and is a thin flexible tube with a series of evenly spaced holes along its entire length, through which the medication enters the brain tissue.
It is noted that traditional catheters used to treat neurological disorders typically deliver drugs from only one or two outlets. This limits the area of effect and can lead to uneven distribution of the drug, reducing the effectiveness of therapy and increasing the risk of side effects. SPIRAL is designed to eliminate these shortcomings by ensuring controlled and uniform administration of drugs to a larger volume of brain tissue.
"Neurological disorders often come from very specific regions of the brain, but our current tools for targeting these areas are limited," said study leader Khalil Ramadi, an associate professor of bioengineering at NYUAD and NYU Tandon. SPIRAL allows multiple areas of the brain to be targeted simultaneously without increasing patient risk, opening up new possibilities for safer and more effective treatments for neurological conditions.
An important result was that the level of inflammation after using SPIRAL does not exceed the indicators of standard implants, which opens up prospects for long-term use.
Mahmoud Elbech, PhD, noted that in the treatment of diseases such as glioblastoma, it is often necessary to deliver drugs to large volumes of the brain, bypassing the blood-brain barrier. The spiral shape and precisely designed holes in the new device will allow for coverage of a larger area of tissue with a single injection.
It is noted that extensive laboratory testing and the latest computer modeling have confirmed the safety and effectiveness of the device. In addition to drug delivery, the developers believe that SPIRAL can be adapted for electrical stimulation and other therapies, including for epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders.