Coating improves electrical stimulation therapy used for Parkinson's, depression, ch... (butes needed to help electrophysiologist...)

Coating improves electrical stimulation therapy used for Parkinson's, depression, chronic pain

Date:9/15/2008

butes needed to help electrophysiologists conquer some of the hurdles facing them issues such as battery power and chemical stability.

The carbon nanotube coating improves conductivity, which means less energy is needed to power the nerve stimulator. That can help reduce routine maintenance, such as the need to change batteries in implanted stimulation devices, as well as reduce tissue damage caused by the electrical charge.

"Our process is like taking a Ford Pinto, pouring on this chemical coating, and turning it into a Ferrari," Dr. Keefer said.

Researchers have tried several types of electrochemical coatings to see if they could improve conductivity, but the coatings often break down quickly or fail to stay affixed to the electrodes. The carbon nanotube coating shows far more promise, although further research is still needed, Dr. Keefer said.

"The development of new technologies by Dr. Keefer to potentially restore function in wounded tissues and future transplantations is exciting," said Dr. Spencer Brown, assistant professor of plastic surgery who heads research in the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Advanced Plastic Surgery and Wound Healing Laboratory at UT Southwestern.

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Contact: Russell Rian
russell.rian@utsouthwestern.edu
214-648-3404
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Source:Eurekalert

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Coating improves electrical stimulation therapy used for Parkinson's, depression, ch...(butes needed to help electrophysiologist...)