Future of Healthcare Bioelectronics: A Different Way of Treatment

Imagine a future where tiny, implanted devices monitor our vital signs and symptoms of disease and adjust our treatment automatically. This might seem futuristic, but it could be closer than you think.

Bioelectronics (or electroceuticals) are implanted devices that stimulate the nervous system using electrical impulses to prevent or treat severe chronic diseases. They consist of tiny electrodes attached directly to a nerve, connected through a wire to a pulse generator, which stimulates the nerve’s activity. This is called neuromodulation. The pulse generator, along with a data processing and data storage unit, is contained within a case that is about the size of a watch. This case sits under the skin in the breast area, where it controls the nerve impulses and monitors nerve activity.

Simple non-feedback, ‘open-loop’ devices are already in use to treat Parkinson’s disease, depression, epilepsy, and other conditions. These use consistent, pre-programmed nerve stimulations to targeted regions of the brain or peripheral nerves. However, newer state-of-the-art ‘closed loop’ bioelectronics are being developed that adjust treatment based on the detection of pathological nerve activity. These may provide more precise and personalized treatment than ‘open loop’ systems.