Remote and precisely controlled activation of the brain is a fundamental challenge in the development of brain–machine interfaces for neurological treatments. Low-frequency ultrasound stimulation can be used to modulate neuronal activity deep in the brain, especially after expressing ultrasound-sensitive proteins. But so far, no study has described an ultrasound-mediated activation strategy whose spatiotemporal resolution and acoustic intensity are compatible with the mandatory needs of brain–machine interfaces, particularly for visual restoration. Here the authors combined the expression of large-conductance mechanosensitive ion channels with uncustomary high-frequency ultrasonic stimulation to activate retinal or cortical neurons over millisecond durations at a spatiotemporal resolution and acoustic energy deposit compatible with vision restoration. The in vivo sonogenetic activation of the visual cortex generated a behaviour associated with light perception. These findings demonstrate that sonogenetics can deliver millisecond pattern presentations via an approach less invasive than current brain–machine interfaces for visual restoration.
Researchers helped develop a specially engineered retinal patch to treat people with sudden, severe sight loss.
The results of this groundbreaking clinical study, published in Nature Biotechnology, describe the effective implantation of a specially engineered patch of retinal pigment epithelium cells derived from stem cells to treat people with sudden severe sight loss from wet AMD -- the form that afflicted Waters. This is the first description of a completely engineered tissue that has been successfully used in this way.
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Remote and precisely controlled activation of the brain is a fundamental challenge in the development of brain–machine interfaces for neurological treatments. Low-frequency ultrasound stimulation can be used to modulate neuronal activity deep in the brain, especially after expressing ultrasound-sensitive proteins. But so far, no study has described an ultrasound-mediated activation strategy whose spatiotemporal resolution and acoustic intensity are compatible with the mandatory needs of brain–machine interfaces, particularly for visual restoration. Here the authors combined the expression of large-conductance mechanosensitive ion channels with uncustomary high-frequency ultrasonic stimulation to activate retinal or cortical neurons over millisecond durations at a spatiotemporal resolution and acoustic energy deposit compatible with vision restoration. The in vivo sonogenetic activation of the visual cortex generated a behaviour associated with light perception. These findings demonstrate that sonogenetics can deliver millisecond pattern presentations via an approach less invasive than current brain–machine interfaces for visual restoration.