How Nanotechnology can treat the brain

The brain is one of our most vital, yet complicated organs in the human body. Whilst we have learnt more and more about the brain, without nanotechnologies input we would be limited in how much we could learn and how we could treat people. These are some of the key areas where Nanotechnology will likely be involved in the future when it comes to the brain.

Graphene based implants

Scientists have been developing a graphene based implant which can track neural activity on the brain. There is little knowledge around the low frequency electric activity from the brain as the frequency has been incredibly hard to detect before. The implant is being used to study how seizures begin, and could potentially lead to improved treatment of epilepsy, whilst contributing to the future of brain computer interfaces.

This implant will allow scientists to deeper understand the brain and measure the signals that were previously unmeasurable.

Drug delivery

Nanotechnology has been used to create acellular synthetic polymeric brain implants to deliver drugs to the central nervous system. The method delivers drugs via degradation or diffusion over long periods, such as weeks or months.

Nanotechnology has a great potential to affect the treatment of neurological disorders, mainly Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, brain tumors, and stroke through improved drug delivery to the CNS.

Nanocoated Implants

Since 2009, scientists have added nanotechnology coatings to implants, which have allowed device electrodes to interface with the brain with less resistance. This then allowed the implants to operate for longer periods.

Nanocoated implants can help to treat diseases such as Parkinson's disease, depression and epilepsy.

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