Development of an optical stimulation-optical recording imaging system for estimating and evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of BMI devices.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K20245
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 90140:Medical technology assessment-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Tashiro Hiroyuki 九州大学, 医学研究院, 講師 (70380384)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 光神経刺激 / 光神経活動記録 / Indocyanine green / Photoswitc / Brain Machine Interface / 安全性評価

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Medical applications of brain-machine interface (BMI), which applies spatially dense stimulation such as artificial retinas, are being investigated. In invasive implantable devices, it is necessary to evaluate the post-treatment benefit and efficacy of the device before surgery. For this purpose, it would be helpful to noninvasively perform high-density stimulation and acquire images of neural responses with high temporal resolution. In this study, we established a clinically applicable BMI evaluation system by combining Photoswitch, which imparts photo-responsiveness to existing ion channels without genetic modification, and indocyanine green, recently reported as a non-toxic voltage-sensitive dye.

Free Research Field

生体医工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では臨床応用を視野に、毒性がない試薬を用い、Photoswitchによる高密度刺激と、Indocyanine greenを用いた時間分解能も電気記録に劣らない二次元神経応答画像記録の実現に取り組んだ。本研究で開発に取り組んだ評価系により、人工視覚システムのスクリーニング検査、治療後評価以外にも、正常眼圧緑内障の検査、脳外科手術の際の切除可能部位の特定、拡張型心筋症の変性部位の特定などにも応用可能であり、治療効果、術式の評価といった臨床（医療技術評価）領域への波及効果は大きい。また基礎的な神経科学の実験系としても利用できる。