An Electrocorticography Device with an Integrated Microfluidic Ion Pump for Simultaneous Neural Recording and Electrophoretic Drug Delivery In Vivo

The challenge of treating neurological disorders has motivated the development of implantable devices that can deliver treatment when and where it is needed. This study presents a novel brain implant capable of electrophoretically delivering drugs and recording local neural activity on the surface of the brain. The drug delivery is made possible by the integration of a microfluidic ion pump (µFIP) into a conformable electrocorticography (ECoG) device with recording cites embedded next to the drug delivery outlets. The µFIP ECoG device can deliver a high capacity of several biologically important cationic species on demand. The therapeutic potential of the device is demonstrated by using it to deliver neurotransmitters in a rodent model while simultaneously recording local neural activity. These developments represent a significant step forward for cortical drug-delivery systems.