Into medical biotechnology: implantable LED lamp is expected to relieve pain

China LED network in the past 3 months have been reported in the LED implanted in vivo driven with light reactive protein nerve research, this is a new application of LED into medical and biotechnology, it is worth paying attention to. Research from the University of Washington School of medicine, found that laboratory mice implanted with LED, when the researchers used LED light stimulation reward block, disgust in the brain blocks will inadvertently also driven, which explains why drug therapy in the treatment of depression in clinical look no effect. Also opened a follow-up study on the connection between the LED lamp and the brain.

The history of University of Denver is the first precedent, the successful use of wireless LED implant device, open a new pattern of the use of such principles of genetic experiments. With the mouse's own energy to drive the LED light to light, wireless remote control of small blue pepper LED devices, such as the control of the mouse brain nerve cells, spine or limbs.

Next, researchers at the University of DELL, Canada, have a new breakthrough, the light channel directly on the muscles, so that even if the nerve loss of function, but also to drive muscle activity Moorhouse.

Recently, for the implantation of LED lamp medical research and good news.

LED light is expected to block the pain to the brain for the benefit of pain management

Scientists have developed a device that is flexible and can be implanted in the body, can drive the body and spinal pain signals, which also means that the pain is expected to pass through the brain.

Located in the eastern United States of Saint Louis Medical School of the University of Washington and the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Bana researchers said that the implanted device one day is expected to be used in different parts of the body, provide another way for transmission to the brain barrier - pain not effective in the treatment of pain.

Common senior researchers Robert Geru IV (Robert W. Gereau IV), and director of University of Washington, is also a pain center he said: "our ultimate goal is to use this technology to treat certain regional pain, using a similar" switch "concept, in pain signals to the brain before it is blocked. "

The study was published in the online edition of "Nature Biotechnology" in November 9, 2015.

These mice nerve as a reaction to light the protein in the cell, the researchers hope to be able to use the LED device to drive the implanted cells, passivation pain signals, blocking the normal therapy couldn't resolve the pain, for the benefit of patients. (source: University of Washington)

Extensible, flexible LED implant device can be fixed in the heart and other organs

Jeru notes that because the device is soft and extensible, it can be implanted into the body. In previous studies, such devices had to be implanted and fixed on the bones.

"But when we look at the neurons in the spinal cord or the areas outside the central nervous system, we need devices that extend and do not need to be fixed on the bone," he said. "

The new device can be fixed in one place with surgical sutures. The device, like the previous one, is equipped with a miniature LED that can drive specific nerve cells. Jeru said he hopes to be able to use the implant device, blunting the pain signal, blocking the general treatment can not solve the pain, the benefit of patients.

The researchers implanted devices in genetically modified mice. Some of these mice have nerve cells that respond to light. In order to show the effect of implantable devices on the pain pathway in nerve cells, the researchers used LED light to drive the mouse's pain. When the mouse passes through a specific area in the maze, the LED light of the implantable device will shine, and drive the pain cells to make the mouse feel uncomfortable. And in the area of the maze, the device is closed and the pain is gone. The study found that the animals quickly learned to avoid the area.

The experiment may be difficult to implement if the old version of the genetic device, because the old version of the device with wires, may affect the behavior of mice.

Research out of the laboratory program mass production of LED implant device spawned more related experiments

According to the University of Illinois Department of materials engineering, and is also the common research director John Roger said that the current micro elastic device can be fixed by suture, also may be used in the kidney, stomach, intestine, heart or other organs.

He added: "they provide a special, biocompatible platform that enables wireless transmission of light to almost any organ in the body. "

Roger and Geru design device, pay special attention to the future of the production into consideration, so that other researchers can use this device to conduct more in-depth study. Jeru, Roger and associate professor of anesthesia at University of Washington, (Michael R. Bruchas) jointly set up a NeuroLux company, the goal of mass production device forward.

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