Implantable Neural Interfaces and Electrical Neuromodulation
This community develops the hardware and clinical protocols for reading and writing electrical signals in the nervous system, primarily to treat neurological disorders and restore sensory or motor function.
The work centers on the design of electrode arrays, stimulation leads, and neural probes using materials such as iridium oxide, PEDOT:PSS, and carbon fiber. These interfaces are deployed for deep brain stimulation, spinal cord stimulation, and cochlear implants, targeting conditions including Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and chronic pain. Research also covers non-invasive techniques like transcranial ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging to map neural activity and guide lead placement. The recurring focus is on improving the stability, resolution, and biocompatibility of these devices for long-term in vivo recording and stimulation.
The community is most heavily represented in research tracked for iridium, accounting for 1.2% of all iridium-related papers, and platinum, which comprises 0.4% of that element’s research. In terms of raw volume, platinum also leads with 622 papers within this group, followed by silicon with 564 papers.
The community comprises 12,594 papers, with the highest publication volume in the Journal of the Optical Society of America, the Journal of Neuroscience, and the Journal of Neural Engineering.
Recent work includes high-density cortical microelectrode arrays for multimodal decoding, vagus nerve stimulation for rheumatoid arthritis, and cell–electronics hybrids for focal neuromodulation.