BEIJING: Chinese scientists have created a wireless miniature probe capable of dynamically tracking oxygen levels in the deep brain, offering a potential tool for monitoring brain diseases.
The implantable probe, measuring about 300 microns in diameter, includes a light-emitting diode and a photo-detector, coated with a highly oxygen-sensitive phosphorescent film.
As detailed in the journal Nature Photonics, the probe functions by emitting phosphorescence and gauging oxygen levels based on changes in light brightness, a key indicator reflecting brain oxygen levels.
Sheng Xing, an associate professor at Tsinghua University, highlighted its rapid response time of less than one second, making it effective in detecting brain tissue hypoxia.
The wireless probe demonstrated efficiency in monitoring oxygen levels in the deep brain of freely moving rodents, with potential applications for health care in conditions such as epilepsy, brain tumors, stroke, and intracranial trauma.
The study involved collaboration between researchers from Tsinghua University, the Xuanwu Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University, and the Beijing Institute of Technology. —Xinhua/APP
