Epilepsy medication may be delivered via tiny device

Delivering medication right to the source of pain or illness without effecting the surrounding organs and tissues is almost impossible to achieve. Researcher at Linköping University have developed a device that solves that problem for epileptic patients.

The device is capable of both detecting the signal of an epileptic attack and deliver medication directly to an area the size of 20 square microns. While current medications are available to treat epilepsy, they often affect the organs and tissues in the body. A team of developers led by Daniel Simon set out to correct this problem through technology. The device includes sensor that detects nerve signals and a tiny ion pump that delivers the neurotransmitter GABA, a substance that inhibits stimuli in the central nervous system.

"Our technology makes it possible to interact with both healthy and sick neurons. We can now start investigating opportunities for finding therapies for neurological illnesses that arise so rapidly and so locally that the patient doesn't notice them," said Simon.

In a study, done on slices of brains in mice, the device’s sensor picks up the nerve signals and the correct dose of medication avoids affecting the surrounding body parts.