Mechanically-Adaptive, Resveratrol-Eluting Neural Probes for Improved Intracortical Recording Performance and Stability

Intracortical microelectrodes are used for recording activity from individual neurons, providing both a valuable neuroscience tool and an enabling medical technology for individuals with motor disabilities. Standard neural probes carrying the microelectrodes are rigid silicon-based structures that can penetrate the brain parenchyma to interface with the targeted neurons. Unfortunately, within weeks after implantation into the brain, neural recording quality from microelectrodes degrades, owing largely to a neuroinflammatory response. Key contributors to the neuroinflammatory response include mechanical mismatch at the device-tissue interface and a state of oxidative stress. We developed a mechanically-adaptive, resveratrol-eluting (MARE) neural probe to mitigate both mechanical mismatch and oxidative stress and thereby promote improved neural recording quality and longevity. In this work, we demonstrate that compared to rigid silicon controls, highly-flexible MARE probes exhibit improved recording performance, more stable impedance, and a healing tissue response. With further optimization, MARE probes can serve as long-term, robust neural probes for brain-machine interface applications.