Chronic electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves via deep-red light transduced by an implanted organic photocapacitor

Implantable devices for the wireless modulation of neural tissue need to be designed for reliability, safety and reduced invasiveness. Here we report chronic electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve in rats by an implanted organic electrolytic photocapacitor that transduces deep-red light into electrical signals. The photocapacitor relies on commercially available semiconducting non-toxic pigments and is integrated in a conformable 0.1-mm(3) thin-film cuff. In freely moving rats, fixation of the cuff around the sciatic nerve, 10 mm below the surface of the skin, allowed stimulation (via 50-1,000-mu s pulses of deep-red light at wavelengths of 638 nm or 660 nm) of the nerve for over 100 days. The robustness, biocompatibility, low volume and high-performance characteristics of organic electrolytic photocapacitors may facilitate the wireless chronic stimulation of peripheral nerves. An organic electrolytic photocapacitor transducing deep-red light into electrical signals and implanted within a thin cuff around the sciatic nerve of rats allows for wireless electrical stimulation of the nerve for over 100 days.

Automated summary

The study demonstrates the use of an organic electrolytic photocapacitor for wireless chronic electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve in rats, transducing deep-red light into electrical signals and implanted within a thin cuff around the nerve for over 100 days. This device shows potential for reliable and safe modulation of neural tissue with reduced invasiveness.