Conducting Polymers for Neural Prosthetic and Neural Interface Applications

Neural‐interfacing devices are an artificial mechanism for restoring or supplementing the function of the nervous system, lost as a result of injury or disease. Conducting polymers (CPs) are gaining significant attention due to their capacity to meet the performance criteria of a number of neuronal therapies including recording and stimulating neural activity, the regeneration of neural tissue and the delivery of bioactive molecules for mediating device–tissue interactions. CPs form a flexible platform technology that enables the development of tailored materials for a range of neuronal diagnostic and treatment therapies. In this review, the application of CPs for neural prostheses and other neural interfacing devices is discussed, with a specific focus on neural recording, neural stimulation, neural regeneration, and therapeutic drug delivery.

[1]  A. Harvey,et al.  Hierarchical patterning of multifunctional conducting polymer nanoparticles as a bionic platform for topographic contact guidance. , 2015, ACS nano.

[2]  Christoph Weder,et al.  Progress towards biocompatible intracortical microelectrodes for neural interfacing applications , 2015, Journal of neural engineering.

[3]  J. Schouenborg,et al.  Size-dependent long-term tissue response to biostable nanowires in the brain. , 2015, Biomaterials.

[4]  L. Poole-Warren,et al.  Mediating conducting polymer growth within hydrogels by controlling nucleation , 2015 .

[5]  G. Buzsáki,et al.  NeuroGrid: recording action potentials from the surface of the brain , 2014, Nature Neuroscience.

[6]  Matsuhiko Nishizawa,et al.  Highly Conductive Stretchable and Biocompatible Electrode–Hydrogel Hybrids for Advanced Tissue Engineering , 2014, Advanced healthcare materials.

[7]  N H Lovell,et al.  Laser patterning of platinum electrodes for safe neurostimulation , 2014, Journal of neural engineering.

[8]  L. Poole-Warren,et al.  Effects of dopants on the biomechanical properties of conducting polymer films on platinum electrodes. , 2014, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A.

[9]  L. Poole-Warren,et al.  The biological and electrical trade-offs related to the thickness of conducting polymers for neural applications. , 2014, Acta biomaterialia.

[10]  Z. Yue,et al.  Influence of Biodopants on PEDOT Biomaterial Polymers: Using QCM‐D to Characterize Polymer Interactions with Proteins and Living Cells , 2014 .

[11]  Nigel H. Lovell,et al.  Organic electrode coatings for next-generation neural interfaces , 2014, Front. Neuroeng..

[12]  David C. Martin,et al.  In vivo polymerization of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) in the living rat hippocampus does not cause a significant loss of performance in a delayed alternation task , 2014, Journal of neural engineering.

[13]  P. Leleux,et al.  Conducting Polymer Electrodes for Electroencephalography , 2014, Advanced healthcare materials.

[14]  Khoon S Lim,et al.  Conductive hydrogels with tailored bioactivity for implantable electrode coatings. , 2014, Acta biomaterialia.

[15]  L. Poole-Warren,et al.  Improving Cochlear Implant Properties Through Conductive Hydrogel Coatings , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[16]  George G. Malliaras,et al.  The Rise of Organic Bioelectronics , 2014 .

[17]  L. Poole-Warren,et al.  Covalent incorporation of non-chemically modified gelatin into degradable PVA-tyramine hydrogels. , 2013, Biomaterials.

[18]  P. Tresco,et al.  A new high-density (25 electrodes/mm2) penetrating microelectrode array for recording and stimulating sub-millimeter neuroanatomical structures , 2013, Journal of neural engineering.

[19]  Gordon G Wallace,et al.  Conducting polymer coated neural recording electrodes , 2013, Journal of neural engineering.

[20]  N H Lovell,et al.  Performance of conducting polymer electrodes for stimulating neuroprosthetics , 2013, Journal of neural engineering.

[21]  Daryl R Kipke,et al.  Hybrid Conducting Polymer–Hydrogel Conduits for Axonal Growth and Neural Tissue Engineering , 2012, Advanced healthcare materials.

[22]  L. Poole-Warren,et al.  Substrate dependent stability of conducting polymer coatings on medical electrodes. , 2012, Biomaterials.

[23]  Nigel H Lovell,et al.  Conductive hydrogels: mechanically robust hybrids for use as biomaterials. , 2012, Macromolecular bioscience.

[24]  David C. Martin,et al.  The use of a dual PEDOT and RGD-functionalized alginate hydrogel coating to provide sustained drug delivery and improved cochlear implant function. , 2012, Biomaterials.

[25]  Khoon S Lim,et al.  The influence of silkworm species on cellular interactions with novel PVA/silk sericin hydrogels. , 2012, Macromolecular bioscience.

[26]  Lei He,et al.  New carbon nanotube–conducting polymer composite electrodes for drug delivery applications , 2012 .

[27]  G. Wallace,et al.  Conducting polymers with immobilised fibrillar collagen for enhanced neural interfacing. , 2011, Biomaterials.

[28]  David C. Martin,et al.  Structural, chemical and electrochemical characterization of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) prepared with various counter-ions and heat treatments. , 2011, Polymer.

[29]  Michael D Joseph,et al.  Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) polymer coatings facilitate smaller neural recording electrodes , 2011, Journal of neural engineering.

[30]  J M Carmena,et al.  In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of PEDOT Microelectrodes for Neural Stimulation and Recording , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[31]  V. Pillay,et al.  A Polyvinyl Alcohol-Polyaniline Based Electro-Conductive Hydrogel for Controlled Stimuli-Actuable Release of Indomethacin , 2011 .

[32]  M. Dadsetan,et al.  Development of electrically conductive oligo(polyethylene glycol) fumarate-polypyrrole hydrogels for nerve regeneration. , 2010, Biomacromolecules.

[33]  Seeram Ramakrishna,et al.  Applications of conducting polymers and their issues in biomedical engineering , 2010, Journal of The Royal Society Interface.

[34]  M. Nishizawa,et al.  Conducting polymer electrodes printed on hydrogel. , 2010, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[35]  Sanjay Garg,et al.  Electrochemically controlled drug delivery based on intrinsically conducting polymers. , 2010, Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society.

[36]  G. Wallace,et al.  Polyterthiophene as an electrostimulated controlled drug release material of therapeutic levels of dexamethasone , 2010 .

[37]  Gordon G Wallace,et al.  Physical surface and electromechanical properties of doped polypyrrole biomaterials. , 2010, Biomaterials.

[38]  Daryl R. Kipke,et al.  Conducting-polymer nanotubes improve electrical properties, mechanical adhesion, neural attachment, and neurite outgrowth of neural electrodes. , 2010, Small.

[39]  Gordon G Wallace,et al.  Conducting polymers, dual neurotrophins and pulsed electrical stimulation--dramatic effects on neurite outgrowth. , 2010, Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society.

[40]  Xu-Dong Li,et al.  Investigations on the Mechanical Properties of Conducting Polymer Coating-Substrate Structures and Their Influencing Factors , 2009, International journal of molecular sciences.

[41]  Kip A Ludwig,et al.  Interfacing Conducting Polymer Nanotubes with the Central Nervous System: Chronic Neural Recording using Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) Nanotubes , 2009, Advanced materials.

[42]  M. Berggren,et al.  Organic electronics for precise delivery of neurotransmitters to modulate mammalian sensory function. , 2009, Nature materials.

[43]  C. Schmidt,et al.  Polypyrrole-coated electrospun PLGA nanofibers for neural tissue applications. , 2009, Biomaterials.

[44]  Nigel H Lovell,et al.  Cell attachment functionality of bioactive conducting polymers for neural interfaces. , 2009, Biomaterials.

[45]  L. Poole-Warren,et al.  Bioactive conducting polymers for neural interfaces application to vision prosthesis , 2009, 2009 4th International IEEE/EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering.

[46]  Gordon G Wallace,et al.  Polypyrrole-coated electrodes for the delivery of charge and neurotrophins to cochlear neurons. , 2009, Biomaterials.

[47]  Mohammad Reza Abidian,et al.  Multifunctional Nanobiomaterials for Neural Interfaces , 2009 .

[48]  Ping Wu,et al.  Detection of glucose based on direct electron transfer reaction of glucose oxidase immobilized on highly ordered polyaniline nanotubes. , 2009, Analytical chemistry.

[49]  O. Inganäs,et al.  Composite biomolecule/PEDOT materials for neural electrodes , 2008, Biointerphases.

[50]  G. Wallace,et al.  Conducting polymers for neural interfaces: challenges in developing an effective long-term implant. , 2008, Biomaterials.

[51]  S. Cogan.  Neural stimulation and recording electrodes. , 2008, Annual review of biomedical engineering.

[52]  David C. Martin,et al.  Experimental and theoretical characterization of implantable neural microelectrodes modified with conducting polymer nanotubes. , 2008, Biomaterials.

[53]  Jin-Ye Wang,et al.  Characterization of nanostructure and cell compatibility of polyaniline films with different dopant acids. , 2008, The journal of physical chemistry. B.

[54]  N. H. Lovell,et al.  Novel neural interface for implant electrodes: improving electroactivity of polypyrrole through MWNT incorporation , 2008, Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine.

[55]  Philip G. Whitten,et al.  Monolithic Actuators from Flash‐Welded Polyaniline Nanofibers , 2008 .

[56]  K. Na,et al.  Heparin/polypyrrole (PPy) composite on gold-coated matrix for the neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells by electrical stimulation , 2007 .

[57]  Christine E. Schmidt,et al.  Conducting polymers in biomedical engineering , 2007 .

[58]  M. Berggren,et al.  Electronic control of Ca2+ signalling in neuronal cells using an organic electronic ion pump. , 2007, Nature materials.

[59]  C. Schmidt,et al.  Micropatterned Polypyrrole: A Combination of Electrical and Topographical Characteristics for the Stimulation of Cells , 2007, Advanced functional materials.

[60]  Patrick A Tresco,et al.  The brain tissue response to implanted silicon microelectrode arrays is increased when the device is tethered to the skull. , 2007, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A.

[61]  N. Sahoo,et al.  Polypyrrole coated carbon nanotubes : Synthesis, characterization, and enhanced electrical properties , 2007 .

[62]  Christine E Schmidt,et al.  Nerve growth factor-immobilized polypyrrole: bioactive electrically conducting polymer for enhanced neurite extension. , 2007, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A.

[63]  David C. Martin,et al.  Polymerization of the conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) around living neural cells. , 2007, Biomaterials.

[64]  David C. Martin,et al.  Effect of Immobilized Nerve Growth Factor on Conductive Polymers: Electrical Properties and Cellular Response , 2007 .

[65]  P. Vadgama,et al.  Polypyrrole-based conducting polymers and interactions with biological tissues , 2006, Journal of The Royal Society Interface.

[66]  Gordon G Wallace,et al.  Optimising the incorporation and release of a neurotrophic factor using conducting polypyrrole. , 2006, Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society.

[67]  Yen Wei,et al.  Electrospinning polyaniline-contained gelatin nanofibers for tissue engineering applications. , 2006, Biomaterials.

[68]  William R. Stauffer,et al.  Polypyrrole doped with 2 peptide sequences from laminin. , 2006, Biomaterials.

[69]  Paul M. George,et al.  Electrically Controlled Drug Delivery from Biotin‐Doped Conductive Polypyrrole , 2006 .

[70]  David C. Martin,et al.  Chronic neural recordings using silicon microelectrode arrays electrochemically deposited with a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) film , 2006, Journal of neural engineering.

[71]  Xinyan Tracy Cui,et al.  Electrochemically controlled release of dexamethasone from conducting polymer polypyrrole coated electrode. , 2006, Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society.

[72]  M. Abidian,et al.  Conducting‐Polymer Nanotubes for Controlled Drug Release , 2006, Advanced materials.

[73]  M. Engelhard,et al.  Preparation, characterization and anion exchange properties of polypyrrole/carbon nanotube nanocomposites. , 2006, Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

[74]  David C. Martin,et al.  Surface modification of neural probes with conducting polymer poly(hydroxymethylated-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and its biocompatibility , 2006, Applied biochemistry and biotechnology.

[75]  Yen Wei,et al.  Polyaniline, an electroactive polymer, supports adhesion and proliferation of cardiac myoblasts , 2006, Journal of biomaterials science. Polymer edition.

[76]  P. Tresco,et al.  Response of brain tissue to chronically implanted neural electrodes , 2005, Journal of Neuroscience Methods.

[77]  Wilfred Chen,et al.  Reversible conversion of conducting polymer films from superhydrophobic to superhydrophilic. , 2005, Angewandte Chemie.

[78]  David C. Martin,et al.  Neuronal cell loss accompanies the brain tissue response to chronically implanted silicon microelectrode arrays , 2005, Experimental Neurology.

[79]  Silvestro Micera,et al.  A critical review of interfaces with the peripheral nervous system for the control of neuroprostheses and hybrid bionic systems , 2005, Journal of the peripheral nervous system : JPNS.

[80]  Philip R. Troyk,et al.  In vitro comparison of the charge-injection limits of activated iridium oxide (AIROF) and platinum-iridium microelectrodes , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[81]  L. M. Lira,et al.  Conducting polymer–hydrogel composites for electrochemical release devices: Synthesis and characterization of semi-interpenetrating polyaniline–polyacrylamide networks , 2005 .

[82]  S. Cogan,et al.  In vivo Electrochemical Characterization of Activated Iridium Oxide Stimulation Electrodes Implanted Sub–Retinally in Rabbit , 2005 .

[83]  Daniel R. Merrill,et al.  Electrical stimulation of excitable tissue: design of efficacious and safe protocols , 2005, Journal of Neuroscience Methods.

[84]  Joseph Wang,et al.  Carbon nanotube--conducting-polymer composite nanowires. , 2005, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids.

[85]  David C. Martin,et al.  Conducting polymers grown in hydrogel scaffolds coated on neural prosthetic devices. , 2004, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A.

[86]  David C. Martin,et al.  Electrochemical polymerization and properties of PEDOT/S-EDOT on neural microelectrode arrays , 2004 .

[87]  Daryl R. Kipke,et al.  Wireless implantable microsystems: high-density electronic interfaces to the nervous system , 2004, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[88]  G. Buzsáki,et al.  Neuronal Oscillations in Cortical Networks , 2004, Science.

[89]  John R. Reynolds,et al.  Electrochemical polymerization of poly(hydroxymethylated-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT-MeOH) on multichannel neural probes , 2004 .

[90]  G. Buzsáki.  Large-scale recording of neuronal ensembles , 2004, Nature Neuroscience.

[91]  Fen Chen,et al.  Evaluation of biocompatibility of polypyrrole in vitro and in vivo. , 2004, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A.

[92]  John R Hetling,et al.  Neural prostheses for vision: Designing a functional interface with retinal neurons , 2004, Neurological research.

[93]  M Fini,et al.  Tailoring Biomaterial Compatibility: In Vivo Tissue Response versus in Vitro Cell Behavior , 2003, The International journal of artificial organs.

[94]  Christine E Schmidt,et al.  Neural tissue engineering: strategies for repair and regeneration. , 2003, Annual review of biomedical engineering.

[95]  D. Szarowski,et al.  Brain responses to micro-machined silicon devices , 2003, Brain Research.

[96]  E. Smela.  Conjugated Polymer Actuators for Biomedical Applications , 2003 .

[97]  David C. Martin,et al.  Fuzzy gold electrodes for lowering impedance and improving adhesion with electrodeposited conducting polymer films , 2003 .

[98]  David C. Martin,et al.  In vivo studies of polypyrrole/peptide coated neural probes. , 2003, Biomaterials.

[99]  Barry J. Dickson.  Molecular Mechanisms of Axon Guidance , 2002, Science.

[100]  James D. Weiland,et al.  In vitro electrical properties for iridium oxide versus titanium nitride stimulating electrodes , 2002, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[101]  Xi-Qiao Feng,et al.  Effects of thickness on mechanical properties of conducting polythiophene films , 2002 .

[102]  B. Massoumi,et al.  Electrochemically Controlled Binding and Release of Dexamethasone from Conducting Polymer Bilayer Films , 2002 .

[103]  C. Erkey,et al.  Synthesis of Conductive Elastomeric Foams by an In Situ Polymerization of Pyrrole Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide and Ethanol Cosolvents , 2001 .

[104]  A. Heeger,et al.  Semiconducting and Metallic Polymers: The Fourth Generation of Polymeric Materials , 2001, Angewandte Chemie.

[105]  J. Hetke,et al.  Surface modification of neural recording electrodes with conducting polymer/biomolecule blends. , 2001, Journal of biomedical materials research.

[106]  A. MacDiarmid,et al.  "Synthetic Metals": A Novel Role for Organic Polymers (Nobel Lecture). , 2001, Angewandte Chemie.

[107]  Hideki Shirakawa,et al.  The Discovery of Polyacetylene Film: The Dawning of an Era of Conducting Polymers (Nobel Lecture). , 2001, Angewandte Chemie.

[108]  A. Heeger.  Semiconducting and Metallic Polymers: The Fourth Generation of Polymeric Materials (Nobel Lecture). , 2001, Angewandte Chemie.

[109]  C. Schmidt,et al.  Electrical stimulation alters protein adsorption and nerve cell interactions with electrically conducting biomaterials. , 2001, Biomaterials.

[110]  E. Smela,et al.  Microfabricating conjugated polymer actuators. , 2000, Science.

[111]  D. McCreery,et al.  Chronic microstimulation in the feline ventral cochlear nucleus: physiologic and histologic effects , 2000, Hearing Research.

[112]  J. Reynolds,et al.  Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) and Its Derivatives: Past, Present, and Future , 2000 .

[113]  John R. Reynolds,et al.  Use of Conducting Electroactive Polymers for Drug Delivery and Sensing of Bioactive Molecules. A Redox Chemistry Approach , 2000 .

[114]  L. Sabbatini,et al.  Synthesis, analytical characterization, and osteoblast adhesion properties on RGD-grafted polypyrrole coatings on titanium substrates , 2000, Journal of biomaterials science. Polymer edition.

[115]  Elisabeth Smela,et al.  Surprising Volume Change in PPy(DBS): An Atomic Force Microscopy Study , 1999 .

[116]  R. Borgens,et al.  Electrically mediated regeneration and guidance of adult mammalian spinal axons into polymeric channels , 1999, Neuroscience.

[117]  Gordon G. Wallace,et al.  Conducting electroactive polymer-based biosensors , 1999 .

[118]  G. Wallace,et al.  Characterisation and analytical use of a polypyrrole electrode containing anti-human serum albumin , 1998 .

[119]  D.B. McCreery,et al.  A characterization of the effects on neuronal excitability due to prolonged microstimulation with chronically implanted microelectrodes , 1997, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[120]  R Langer,et al.  Stimulation of neurite outgrowth using an electrically conducting polymer. , 1997, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[121]  C. Goodman,et al.  The Molecular Biology of Axon Guidance , 1996, Science.

[122]  Bernard Tribollet,et al.  Mixed ionic-electronic conduction of a conducting polymer film. Ac impedance study of polypyrrole , 1996 .

[123]  J. Roncali.  Conjugated poly(thiophenes): synthesis, functionalization, and applications , 1992 .

[124]  F. Jonas,et al.  Poly(alkylenedioxythiophene)s—new, very stable conducting polymers , 1992 .

[125]  H. Baier,et al.  Axon guidance by gradients of a target-derived component. , 1992, Science.

[126]  P. Dario,et al.  Polymer electret guidance channels enhance peripheral nerve regeneration in mice , 1989, Brain Research.

[127]  J. Brédas,et al.  Polarons, bipolarons, and solitons in conducting polymers , 1985 .

[128]  E Besterman,et al.  Waller--pioneer of electrocardiography. , 1979, British heart journal.

[129]  Joonsoo Jeong,et al.  Eye-surface conformable telemetric structure for polymer-based retinal prosthesis , 2011, 2011 Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.

[130]  David C. Martin,et al.  Direct local polymerization of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) in rat cortex. , 2011, Progress in brain research.

[131]  David Daomin Zhou,et al.  Implantable Neural Prostheses 2 , 2010 .

[132]  Nigel H Lovell,et al.  Impact of co-incorporating laminin peptide dopants and neurotrophic growth factors on conducting polymer properties. , 2010, Acta biomaterialia.

[133]  Daryl R Kipke,et al.  Conducting polymers on hydrogel-coated neural electrode provide sensitive neural recordings in auditory cortex. , 2010, Acta biomaterialia.

[134]  L. M. Lira,et al.  Conducting polymer- hydrogel blends for electrochemically controlled drug release devices , 2008 .

[135]  G. Sotzing,et al.  Conductive Polymer Foams as Sensors for Volatile Amines. , 2003 .

[136]  W. Rutten.  Selective electrical interfaces with the nervous system. , 2002, Annual review of biomedical engineering.

[137]  C. Schmidt,et al.  Synthesis of a Novel, Biodegradable Electrically Conducting Polymer for Biomedical Applications , 2002 .