Issue 25, 2015

Conducting polymer electrodes for auditory brainstem implants

Abstract

The auditory brainstem implant (ABI) restores hearing in patients with damaged auditory nerves. One of the main ideas to improve the efficacy of ABIs is to increase spatial specificity of stimulation, in order to minimize extra-auditory side-effects and to maximize the tonotopy of stimulation. This study reports on the development of a microfabricated conformable electrode array with small (100 μm diameter) electrode sites. The latter are coated with a conducting polymer, PEDOT:PSS, to offer high charge injection properties and to safely stimulate the auditory system with small stimulation sites. We report on the design and fabrication of the polymer implant, and characterize the coatings in physiological conditions in vitro and under mechanical deformation. We characterize the coating electrochemically and during bending tests. We present a proof of principle experiment where the auditory system is efficiently activated by the flexible polymeric interface in a rat model in vivo. These results demonstrate the potential of using conducting polymer coatings on small electrode sites for electrochemically safe and efficient stimulation of the central auditory system.

Graphical abstract: Conducting polymer electrodes for auditory brainstem implants

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
15 jan 2015
Accepted
12 feb 2015
First published
02 mar 2015

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2015,3, 5021-5027

Conducting polymer electrodes for auditory brainstem implants

A. A. Guex, N. Vachicouras, A. E. Hight, M. C. Brown, D. J. Lee and S. P. Lacour, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2015, 3, 5021 DOI: 10.1039/C5TB00099H

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