Devices that electrically modulate the deep brain have enabled important breakthroughs in the management of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Such devices are typically centimeter-scale, requiring surgical implantation and wired-in powering, which increases the risk of hemorrhage, infection, and damage during daily activity. Using smaller, remotely powered materials could lead to less invasive neuromodulation. Here, we present injectable, magnetoelectric nanoelectrodes that wirelessly transmit electrical signals to the brain in response to an external magnetic field. This mechanism of modulation requires no genetic modification of neural tissue, allows animals to freely move during stimulation, and uses nonresonant carrier frequencies. Using these nanoelectrodes, we demonstrate neuronal modulation in vitro and in deep brain targets in vivo. We also show that local subthalamic modulation promotes modulation in other regions connected via basal ganglia circuitry, leading to behavioral changes in mice. Magnetoelectric materials present a versatile platform technology for less invasive, deep brain neuromodulation.

电调节深部大脑的设备在神经和精神疾病的管理方面取得了重大突破。此类设备通常为厘米级，需要手术植入和有线供电，这会增加日常活动中出血、感染和损坏的风险。使用更小、远程供电的材料可以减少侵入性神经调节。在这里，我们展示了可注射的磁电纳米电极，它可以响应外部磁场将电信号无线传输到大脑。这种调制机制不需要对神经组织进行基因改造，允许动物在刺激期间自由移动，并使用非共振载波频率。使用这些纳米电极，我们在体外和体内深部脑靶标中展示了神经元调制。我们还表明，局部丘脑底调制促进了通过基底神经节电路连接的其他区域的调制，从而导致小鼠的行为改变。磁电材料提供了一种多功能平台技术，可用于微创、深部脑神经调节。