Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have developed a novel technology to precisely modulate individual neurons in rats, allowing the molecular, neuronal, and circuit functions to be analyzed with unprecedented precision.

The researchers demonstrated a novel way of loading specific drugs onto an array of electrodes and triggering their release into cultured rat neurons, allowing for more precise insight into the cellular mechanisms of neuronal networks. They also showed how the release of drugs could be informed, in real-time, by recording activity in neurons, a step essential for creating a closed-loop system that both diagnoses and treats symptoms simultaneously.

“We envision an implanted device in the future that will monitor brain activity, detect or predict an onset of an epileptic seizure, and send the command to the electrode at the most appropriate location, releasing an anti-convulsive drug to prevent the seizure,” says Professor Tracy Cui.

Ref.: Stauffer et al., Rapid modulation of local neural activity by controlled drug release from polymer-coated recording microelectrodes, Journal of Neural Engineering, 2011 (in press)