A study published in the journal Nature by researchers at Harvard University’s John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) has led to the creation of sophisticated cyborg tadpoles capable of real-time monitoring of brain and spinal cord development. The research is the result of years of studies aimed at developing soft, flexible and noninvasive bioelectronic components designed for brain and therapeutic applications.
The technology is based on a structure into which a tiny, thin, elastic and stretchable neural device has been implanted. This has been successfully tested on animals: in the laboratory, modified tadpoles moved freely, demonstrating that the device integrates seamlessly into brain tissue without interfering with behavior or impairing the organisms’ growth.
According to the study, these innovative devices can record the electrical activity of individual nerve cells with millisecond accuracy. The tadpoles were made from fluorinated elastomers, an artificial but soft and flexible material like biological tissues, onto which microscopic electronic sensors were implanted to detect neural activity.
“Currently, it is not possible to measure neural activity during the early stages of nervous system development-our technology will open up new possibilities,” says Jia Liu, associate professor of bioengineering at SEAS. “If we can take full advantage of the natural developmental process, we will be able to implant numerous sensors noninvasively and gradually monitor the evolution of brain activity. No one has ever succeeded before.”
According to experts, in the not-too-distant future this technology could revolutionize the study of the brain, offering new insights into understanding early-onset neurological disorders such as autism, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
