Brain implants hold immense promise for restoring function in patients with paralysis, epilepsy and other neurological disorders.
But a team of researchers at has discovered that bacteria can invade the brain after a medical device is implanted, contributing to inflammation and reducing the device鈥檚 long-term effectiveness.
The groundbreaking research, recently published in , could improve the long-term success of brain implants now that a target has been identified to address.
鈥淯nderstanding the role of bacteria in implant performance and brain health could revolutionize how these devices are designed and maintained,鈥� said Jeff Capadona, Case Western Reserve鈥檚 vice provost for innovation, the Donnell Institute Professor of Biomedical Engineering and senior research career scientist at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.