Rice University engineers have been awarded a $6.25 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a tool that could help scientists gain a better understanding of spinal cord function. The engineers, in collaboration with researchers from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of California, San Francisco, will work to optimize nanoelectronic threads, or NETs, for use in the spine. NETs are already used successfully for gathering data from neurons in the brain.
The spinal cord is extremely complex and difficult to study due to its mobility and anatomical structure. However, by using NET probes, scientists hope to gain insight into how the spinal cord functions and potentially discover new treatment options for patients with spinal cord injuries and other related medical conditions.
“We haven’t had a good understanding of how the neurons in the spinal cord actually work,” said Chong Xie, principal investigator on the grant and associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and neuroengineering. “But we don’t know exactly how this is achieved.”
The NET probes developed by Xie and his team have already shown promising results in recording neuronal activity in the spines of mice. However, more work is needed to adapt the probes to the unique structural and functional demands of the spinal cord.
Unlike the brain, where the neurons are located in the outer layer, or gray matter, the spinal cord has the opposite anatomy, known as “inside-out anatomy.” The neurons are located in the interior, while the fibers, or white matter, are on the exterior, making it challenging to access the neurons.
To address this challenge, the researchers plan to develop a probe design that is small enough to be implanted at various sites on the spine. They also aim to equip the probes with stimulation capabilities in addition to their recording function. This could potentially help restore fine motor control in patients with spinal cord injuries.
Furthermore, identifying specific spinal neurons that play a role in pain signal relay could lead to the development of targeted pain-management therapies. The researchers hope that by stimulating these neurons or modulating their activity, they can block the pain signal from reaching the brain.
The ultimate goal of this research is to develop a highly advanced, integrated data-processing and stimulation-feedback system using spinal NETs. This system would provide neuroscientists with a tool to achieve a more fundamental understanding of spinal cord function and potentially enable them to see and do new things that are currently impossible with current technology.
The four-year project aims to revolutionize spinal cord research and could have far-reaching implications for patients dealing with spinal cord injuries and other related conditions.