If in the future electrodes are inserted into the human
brain – either for research purposes or to treat diseases – it may be
appropriate to give them a ‘coat’ of nanowires that could make them less
irritating for the brain tissue. However, the nanowires must not exceed a
certain length, according to new research from Neuronano Research Center at
Lund University in Sweden.
This is the conclusion from an experiment in which the
long-term effects of nanowires of different sizes were tested. The nanowires
were mixed into a saline solution that was injected into the brains of lab
animals, and the results were compared with an injection of saline alone.