Using a Nanochip to Deliver Alzheimer's Therapy to the Brain

A study published in Small by researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Bar-Ilan University details how they used a nanochip inserted under the skull just outside the brain to deliver therapeutic stimulation, reports BioSpace . The nanochip dispatched a neural growth factor to treat Alzheimer's, and the device is composed of a nanoscale porous structure that can be loaded with the protein. A silicone framework holds the protein in its active form, then slowly releases it over a month or so. The chip safely degrades and dissolves afterwards. The chip can be inserted directly into the brain by implanting it onto the dura matter, or by using a repurposed "gene gun" to inject it through the nose and circumvent the blood-brain barrier. Experiments with mice models showed the chips were effective, while tests on a cellular model of Alzheimer's proved the protein can preserve nerve cells. The researchers are conducting pre-clinical tests, and they plan to move on to human clinical trials if the results are positive.