Bacteria Invasion of Brain After Implants Threams Long-Term Device Effectiveness, Research Finds

Brain Implants Hold Immense Promise for Restoring Function in Patients with Paralysis, Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders. But Team of Researchers at Case Western Reserve University has Discoved That Bacteria Can Invade the Brain After A Medical Device is implanted, contributing to inflammation and reducing the device’s long-term effectiveness.

THE RESEARCH, PUBLISHED IN Nature CommunicationsCould Improve the Long-Term Success of Brain Implants Now That Target has Been Identified to Address.

“Understanding the Role of Bacteria In Implement Performance and Brain Health Couldize How Devices Are Designed and Mainintained,” Said Jeff Capadona, Case Western Reserve’s Vice Provost for Innovation, The Donnell Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Senior Research Coreer Scientist At At The Louis Stokes Cleveland va Medical Center.

Capadona’s Lab Led the Study, Which Examined the Presence of Bacterial DNA in the Brains of Mouse Models Impled With Microelectrodes.

TO THEIR SURPRISE, Researchers Found Bacteria Linked to the Gut Inside the Brain. The Discovery Suggesss That a Breach in What is Known As “The Blood-Broin Barrier,” Caused by Implanting the Device, Could Allow Microbes To Enter.

“This is a paradigm-shifting finding,” Said George Hoeferlin, The Study’s Lead Author, Who Was a Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student at Case Western Reserve in Capadona’s Lab.

“For Decades, The Field has focused on the body’s imammune response to these implants, but our bacteria that bacteria.

In the Study, Mouse Models Treated with Antibiotics Had Reduced Bacterial Contamination and the Performance of the Impled Devices Improved – Pathough Prolonged Antibiotic Use Proped detrimental.

The Discovery’s Implications Go Beyond Device Failure. Some of the Bacteria Found in the Brain Have Been Linked to Neurological Diseases, Including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Stroke.

“If We’re Not Identifying or Addressing This Consequence of Implantation, We Could Be Causing More Harm Tha’re Fixing,” Capadona Said.

“This Finding HighLights The Urgent Need To Develop to Permanent Strategy for Preventing Bacterial Invasion From Impled Devices, Rather Than Just Managing Infummation After The Fact. Effectively. “

CAPADONA SAID HUB IS Now Expanding The Research to Examine Bacteria In other Types of Brain Implants, Such As Ventricular Shunts Used to Treat Hydrocephalus, an Abnormal Buildup of Fluid in the Brain.

The Team also examined the fecal matter of a human subject Implanted with a brain device and found similar results.

“This finding stresses The Importance of Understanding How Bacterial Invasion May Not Just Be A Laboratory Phenomenon, But Clinically Relevant Issue,” Said Bolu Ajiboye, The Robert and Brenda Aiken Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the Case School of Engineering and School of Medicine and Scientist at the Cleveland va Medical Center.

“Through Our Strong Translational Pipeline Between Cwru and the VA, We are Now Investigating How How How this Discovery CAN Directly Contribute to Safer, More Effective Neural Implant Strategies for Patients.”