Electrodes with tellurium coat cause focal nerve demyelination without affecting neighbor areas

Myelin sheath of the axons provides an electrical insulation required for fast propagation of the nerve signal. The same insulation reduces signal-to-noise ratio of electrical readings and increases potential requirements for nerve electrical stimulation. Water/lipid insoluble molecular tellurium slowly metabolizes within the animal body affecting enzyme squalene monooxygenase, which requires for myelin sheath maintenance by the Schwann cells. Hereby, we describe the coating of the inert gold electrodes by molecular tellurium via electro deposition from ionic liquid solutions. Resulting coated electrodes decreases viability of Schwann cells, but well tolerated by neuronal cells in culture and in vivo. When implanted around the peripheral nerves in rats the coated electrodes decrease the basic myelin protein content and locally disrupt myelin sheaths after implantation.