It is just the size of a pea and could revolutionize the treatment of certain pathologies: DOT – its real name Digitally programmable Over-brain Therapeutic – is the latest addition to engineers at Rice University. It is also the smallest implantable brain stimulator ever tested on a human patient.
A (very) little gem that could, for example, revolutionize the treatment of drug-resistant depression and offer a less invasive therapeutic alternative and greater autonomyautonomy to patients than current therapies, the researchers welcome in a press release.
Traditional implants for brain stimulation are often powered by large batteries located elsewhere in the body, and connected to the stimulation device via sons. Additionally, they are usually placed inside the brain, requiring invasive surgery.
Less invasive and more accessible than conventional treatments
None of this at DOT, which uses a special technology called “magnetoelectric power transfer.” It effectively converts magnetic fields into electrical impulses despite its 9 millimeters width. Powered without a battery by an external transmitter, DOT can operate and send electrical signals to the brain without needing to be connected to a power Source by wires.
Additionally, the device is designed to stimulate the brain through dura materdura materwhich is a protective membrane located outside the brain and attached to the base of the skullskull. Using this technology, the device can send stimulation signals to the brain without needing to be placed inside the brain.
In an article published in the journal Science Advances, the researchers announced that they had successfully tested the device in pigs for 30 days. They then carried out a temporary trial in a human patient to stimulate his motor cortexmotor cortexwhich resulted in a movementmovement from the hand.
DOT should be suitable for use at home, with a minimum 30-minute implantation procedure and complete patient control over the treatment administered. Therapeutic development is ongoing, with long-term human clinical trials currently being approved by the FDAFDA.
