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UKRI funding is enabling surgical advances that could transform how we diagnose and treat brain conditions such as epilepsy in the future.

Invasive surgical procedures that pose a high risk of infection could soon become a thing of the past for people living with certain neurological conditions.

It’s all thanks to the creative vision of a team of researchers backed by funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Pioneering novel brain electrodes

The team were led by the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.

The team sought inspiration from the ancient Japanese art of origami to help pioneer novel brain electrodes capable of folding up to a fraction of their full size.

This new technique could significantly ease diagnosis and treatment processes for conditions like epilepsy and the installation of brain-computer interfaces.

Diagnosis and treatment challenges

Measuring brain electrical activity is critical in accurately diagnosing and treating conditions like epilepsy.

Traditional methods for measuring this activity typically require a craniotomy, where large portions of the skull are removed to place electrodes directly onto the brain surface.

As well as being highly invasive, the procedure carries significant risks of infection along with prolonged recovery periods.

The new origami-inspired electrodes, however, reduce the necessary incision area without compromising their functionality.

32 electrodes, 70 microns thick

When fully expanded, the device resembles a flat, rectangular silicone wafer with 32 embedded electrodes attached to a cable.

The wafer, which is approximately 70 microns thick (about the width of a human hair) is then folded up, accordion-like, enabling it to fit through an incision measuring just six millimetres (mm) across.

Once in position on the brain surface, a pressurised fluid-filled chamber in the wafer inflates and unfolds the device to cover an area five times larger, up to 600mm2.

Less invasive, more effective

Associate Professor Christopher Proctor, senior author of the study from the University of Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science, said:

This study presents a new approach to directly interfacing with large areas of the brain through a key-hole like surgery.

The potential significance of this work is two-fold.

First, there is the promise of a less invasive diagnostic tool for epilepsy patients.

Second, we envision the minimally invasive nature will enable new applications in brain machine interfaces.

The research team confirmed the device’s functionality by testing it on anaesthetised pigs, using facilities at the University of Cambridge and the University of Bologna.

This demonstrated that the unfolded electrodes were able to accurately detect and record brain activity.

Improving patient outcomes worldwide

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, with an estimated five million people being diagnosed with the disease each year.

What’s more, epilepsy significantly increases the risk of premature death, up to three times higher than for the general population.

Tom Shillito, Health Improvement and Research Manager at Epilepsy Action, said:

Around 79 people in the UK will learn every day they have epilepsy, so the need for new diagnostic treatments that could lessen that impact and give people a better quality of life has never been greater.

It’s exciting to hear the positive outcomes of the initial study’s findings which could translate into a really innovative and promising treatment for people with epilepsy.

We look forward to seeing how it develops.

Clinical trials

The research team is hopeful that the new technology could start being used to treat human patients within just a few years.

Lead author of the study Dr Lawrence Coles, from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Engineering, said:

We are now working with clinical partners to refine the design with the aim of starting trials in human patients within two years.

Besides epilepsy, this approach could be used to diagnose and treat other conditions that result in brain seizures, such as certain brain tumours.

A significant step for neurology

Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, BBSRC Executive Chair, said:

We are immensely proud to support this groundbreaking research that not only pushes the boundaries of medical technology but also exemplifies the kind of innovative thinking that can dramatically improve patient outcomes.

This novel technology represents a significant step forward in the field of neurology and highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.

It is also testament to the value of multiple funders coming together, including BBSRC and EPSRC, to support high-impact, outcome focused research, regardless of the discipline.

Read the research study in Nature Communications.