MIT’s Injectable Microscopic 'Bioelectronic' Implants Can Swim Through Blood and Self‑Attach to the Brain

Microscopic implants that travel through the bloodstream to target the brain

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) report they have developed microscopic, wireless 'bioelectronic' devices small enough to be injected into the bloodstream and to autonomously attach to targeted regions of the brain.

According to MIT, the team spent six years designing the devices, which the institute describes as roughly one-billionth the volume of a grain of rice. The study, published in Nature Biotechnology, reports experiments in mice showing the implants can navigate to and adhere to a specific brain region without direct human guidance.

Once in place the devices can be wirelessly powered to deliver focused electrical stimulation — a technique known as neuromodulation — that could potentially treat neurological conditions without the need for complex surgical implantation.

The researchers say the implants are integrated with living biological cells before injection so they can cross the blood–brain barrier and avoid triggering a typical immune rejection response.

"We have demonstrated that a bioelectronic implant for the brain ... can autonomously implant without external intervention and enables wirelessly controlled, focal brain stimulation," the authors wrote.

The team hopes to begin human clinical trials within about three years, but the current evidence is limited to animal tests. Further research will be needed to confirm safety, effectiveness and long-term consequences in humans.

Takeaway: This work presents a potentially transformative approach to brain stimulation and targeted therapy, but it remains at the preclinical stage and will require rigorous testing before clinical use.