Researchers at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) have developed a new type of brain implant called SPIRAL (Strategic Precision Infusion for Regional Administration of Liquid), which can deliver therapeutic agents with high precision to multiple brain regions simultaneously. This achievement opens up new possibilities in the treatment of neurological disorders.
SPIRAL is a thin, flexible microcatheter configured for the intracerebral delivery of medicinal substances. Developed by the team of Khalil Ramadi, Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at NYUAD, this device is minimally invasive and allows clinicians and researchers to reach larger and more cognitively complex areas of brain tissue that were inaccessible with standard implants.
According to the study’s authors, since neurological pathologies often originate from specific brain regions, current technological capabilities for targeted intervention are limited. SPIRAL’s advantage lies in its ability to simultaneously distribute a therapeutic agent across multiple regions without increasing risk.
The study, published in the Journal of Neural Engineering, describes how SPIRAL uses specially designed holes along its structure to release the medication in a controlled manner.
SPIRAL’s helical (coiled) configuration and optimized, uniformly spaced outlets ensure the even delivery of the therapeutic agent to a large volume of target tissue from a single insertion point. This method is important for the therapy of pathologies such as glioblastoma, where high concentrations of medication need to be delivered while bypassing the blood-brain barrier.
Laboratory testing confirmed that the implant does not cause an inflammatory reaction compared to standard devices, indicating the technology is biocompatible.
The scientists state that in the future, the SPIRAL platform could be adapted for neurostimulation or other advanced therapeutic methods, potentially improving the management of neurological disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurodegenerative conditions.
