Flexible Intracortical Neural Probe with Biodegradable Polymer for Delivering Bioactive Components

A flexible intracortical neural probe containing a biodegradable polymer for delivering bioactive components was developed. This was designed to promote regrowth of damaged neural tissues around the implanted neural probe for a long-term recording. The neural probe was based on the flexible and biocompatible material of parylene C incorporated a drug delivery system (DDS). A groove structure of the probe was designed to seed the degradable polymeric microspheres with bioactive components, to promote recovery of the damaged tissues, and improve mechanical stiffness for the probe implantation. The efficacy of released nerve growth factor (NGF) from the microspheres was observed in in vitro experiments with PC12 cells. The neural probe was successfully inserted in the cerebral cortex of a rat, and neural signals were recorded. These results have shown the possibility that the flexible intracortical neural probe can be applied for chronic recording along with neural regeneration