Journal article
Polypyrrole-coated electrodes for the delivery of charge and neurotrophins to cochlear neurons
RT Richardson, AK Wise, BC Thompson, BO Flynn, PJ Atkinson, NJ Fretwell, JB Fallon, GG Wallace, RK Shepherd, GM Clark, SJ O'Leary
Biomaterials | Published : 2009
Abstract
Sensorineural hearing loss is associated with gradual degeneration of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs), compromising hearing outcomes with cochlear implant use. Combination of neurotrophin delivery to the cochlea and electrical stimulation from a cochlear implant protects SGNs, prompting research into neurotrophin-eluting polymer electrode coatings. The electrically conducting polypyrrole/para-toluene sulfonate containing neurotrophin-3 (Ppy/pTS/NT3) was applied to 1.7 mm2 cochlear implant electrodes. Ppy/pTS/NT3-coated electrode arrays stored 2 ng NT3 and released 0.1 ng/day with electrical stimulation. Guinea pigs were implanted with Ppy/pTS or Ppy/pTS/NT3 electrode arrays two weeks after de..
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Awarded by National Institutes of Health
Funding Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the following funding institutions associated with this research: Stavros S. Niarchos Foundation, John T Reid Charitable Trusts, Royal National Institute for Deaf People, Pierce Armstrong Foundation, The University of Melbourne, Department of Otolaryngology, NIH contract HHS-N-263-2007-00053-C and ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science. The authors are also grateful for the help of Dr Carrie Newbold in collection of impedance data and research engineer Rodney Millard for helpful discussions.