Seizure-responsive hydrogel programmed to modulate ion channels involved in epileptic seizure — The Association Specialists
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Seizure-responsive hydrogel programmed to modulate ion channels involved in epileptic seizure (21948)

Nafiseh Olov 1 2 , Samuel Cheeseman 1 2 , Dan Li 3 , Richard J Williams 2 4 5 , David R Nisbet 1 2 6
  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
  2. The Graeme Clark Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
  4. IMPACT, School of Medicine, Deakin University , Waurn Ponds, VIC, Australia
  5. Centre for Sustainable Bioproducts, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3217, Australia
  6. Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia

 

Epilepsy is a type of central nervous system-related disease commonly known for its seizures and affects approximately 3% to 3.5% of Australians at some point in their lives. Seizures occur when there is a sudden, unusual firing of electrical impulses in the brain, disrupting regular electrical activity. The most common and primary treatment for epilepsy involves the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) administered orally. However, due to the short life of the AEDs and the presence of the blood-brain barrier, which decreases the delivery efficacy of the drugs to the brain, AEDs need to be taken daily, often multiple times a day, even with extended-release preparations. This creates a burden for the user and undesirable side effects due to the required high doses.

One promising approach is local drug delivery to the brain in response to seizures. To this end, we have developed a conductive and adhesive hydrogel with a novel formulation based on polyacrylamide. This hydrogel is programmed to release a small amount of FOS-phenytoin in the absence of seizures, modulating Na+ ion channels to prevent their occurrence. However, if a seizure does occur, the hydrogel increases the dosage to suppress it. The stiffness of the hydrogel has been engineered to be compatible with the soft tissue of the brain. It adheres to the brain's surface to deliver the drug directly to the epileptic focus area at the appropriate time, thereby minimizing the side effects associated with indirect delivery.