Publications by authors named "Grace E Van Valkenburg"
Article Synopsis
- Microglia play a crucial role in monitoring and repairing brain tissue, but their activation from electrode implantation can cause inflammation and hinder brain-computer interface performance.
- Using two-photon imaging, researchers tested low-intensity pulsed ultrasound stimulation to see if it could mitigate microglia-related inflammation after microelectrode implantation.
- The treatment resulted in faster microglia movement and reduced activation, leading to less microglial coverage on electrodes and better long-term recording performance, suggesting it helps lessen the body's foreign body response.
Microglia are important players in surveillance and repair of the brain. Their activation mediates neuroinflammation caused by intracortical microelectrode implantation, which impedes the application of intracortical brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). While low-intensity pulsed ultrasound stimulation (LIPUS) can attenuate microglial activation, its potential to modulate the microglia-mediated neuroinflammation and enhance the bio-integration of microelectrodes remains insufficiently explored.
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