[KoK! Health] Development of a New Implantable Device Material Suitable for Stable Use in MRI

A new implantable device made of a novel material with high safety and precision, applicable to various neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease and stroke, has been developed.

Research teams led by Professor Myunghoon Cha from the Department of Physiology at Yonsei University College of Medicine and Professor Gijun Yoo from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the College of Engineering developed a new organic semiconductor material (PEDOT:PSS) with high electrical conductivity that enables electrical neural modulation while enhancing safety during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The research results were published in the latest issue of the international journal Advanced Functional Materials.

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and stroke occur due to abnormal activity of nerve cells. Although these diseases can sometimes be treated with medication, in many cases, treatment only slows progression and fundamental cures are difficult.

Recently, surgical methods have been performed that implant electrical stimulation devices capable of precise modulation while monitoring nerve cell activity to regulate damaged neural circuits in affected areas. However, currently used implantable electrical stimulation devices are made of metal materials, which makes MRI scans using strong magnetic fields impossible.

The research team developed an implantable device that enables electrical neural modulation and stable imaging during MRI.

They used the electrically conductive biocompatible polymer material PEDOT:PSS. To overcome the material’s low electrical conductivity, they specially treated PEDOT:PSS with the compound ethylene glycol to develop a microscale conductive bioelectrode at the semiconductor process level (MRI-compatible PEDOT).

The research team conducted MRI test trials to verify the stability of MRI-compatible PEDOT.

While conventional electrodes showed image distortion and difficulty in result verification due to instability in high magnetic field medical environments such as MRI, MRI-compatible PEDOT demonstrated clear imaging results and stable usability.

Additionally, the research team confirmed in animal models that MRI-compatible PEDOT enables immediate and effective neural modulation through cortical electrical stimulation, as well as excellent suitability for detecting subtle neural activation signals in the brain.

Professor Myunghoon Cha stated, “Through this research, we were able to eliminate potential risks that may occur during medical imaging of patients with existing neural implants and confirm the potential of neural modulation therapy.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.