Special Implant Coating Offers Hope for Brain Disease Patients

In Germany, researchers have found a way to keep a brain implant in longer than in the past thanks to a special coating made of polymer PEDOT that helps absorb and administer anti-inflammation medicine. A big issue in past implant tests was that the living tissue starts to reject the brain implant because it recognizes it as a foreign object and wants it out. This new coating offers a possible solution as it allows medicine to be given only to the area of the implant and only at specified times when needed to help control the inflammation. While this hasn’t been tested on people yet, this could mean that implants created to stimulate the brain can stay in longer than previously thought. This could be a tremendously helpful future treatment for patients with brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, epilepsy, severe depression and obsessive-compulsive disorders.