MORE | Spring 2021

How Does Simulated Physiological, Cyclic Stretch Affect Oxygen Demand at Neural Interfaces?

Neuromodulation devices are a very important therapeutic tool for many neurological disorders such as in deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease. It is important to know how biological and mechanical processes at the brain-implant interface change due to the implant presence. Physiological micromotion (breathing and vascular pulsation) induces mechanical stresses and modulates local oxygen tension at the interfaces. Thus, the aim of this project is to understand how micromotion induced mechanical strains modulate oxygen demand and mitochondrial activities at neural interfaces and help in designing and improving the therapeutic efficacy of neural interfaces for neuromodulation devices.