Effects of Dip-coated films on the Properties of Implantable Intracortical Microelectrodes

Sommakia, Salah Ph.D., Purdue University, December 2013. Effects of Dipcoated films on the Properties of Implantable Intracortical Microelectrodes. Major Professor: Kevin J. Otto and Jenna L. Rickus. The successful clinical use of implantable intracortical microelectrodes (ICMs) to treat certain types of deafness, blindness, and paralysis is limited by a reactive tissue response (RTR) of the brain. This RTR culminates in the formation of a tight glial scar and a loss of neuronal density around implanted ICMs, and is accompanied by a decrease in signal to noise ratio and an increase in impedance. While no comprehensive mechanistic understanding of the underlying biology is currently agreed upon in the field, a general consensus exists around a highly volatile acute RTR phase. During this acute phase, the electrical properties of ICMs do not always coincide with cellular responses, and the extent of initial injury appears to greatly influence the degree of the chronic RTR. While many electrode modifications and treatments are effective in the short term, the chronic RTR appears impervious to most interventions. To better understand the acute phase of the RTR, this dissertation aims to investigate the effects of various dip-coated biomolecules on the electrical properties of ICMs and cellular responses to microscale ICM-like foreign bodies. We first present an examination of silica sol-gel thin films as a potential biomolecule