Softreset

SOFTRESET: Soft and Flexible Technology for Responsive Epilepsy Treatment

Our brains are incredibly complex. Sometimes, certain areas don't function properly, leading to conditions like Parkinson's, epilepsy, or depression. Neuromodulation is a new technique where doctors safely stimulate the brain with tiny electrical currents or illumination to treat these diseases with only a local intervention to minimise side-effects.

A multidisciplinary team at Ghent University is working on a special type of neuromodulation implant within the SOFTRESET-project which spans across 3 faculties. The aim is to develop a minimally invasive implant which will perform "responsive" neuromodulation. This means the implants in the brain can sense when stimulation is needed, further minimising the side-effects experienced by patients.

Developing these implants is a big challenge! Researchers need to consider several hurdles:

1. Minimizing brain damage: The probes will be flexible to better conform to the brain and cause less damage.
2. Smart implants: The implants need to decide when stimulation is necessary. This requires tiny, sophisticated electronics within the brain.
3. Protection and healing: The implants will have a special coating to prevent the brain from rejecting them. This coating could even deliver medication to reduce any inflammation.
4. Finding the right stimulation: Computer models of the brain will be created to determine exactly where and how to stimulate.
5. Safe testing: Before using this technique in humans, the implants will be tested in animals to ensure everything works safely.