Retinal stimulation via contact lenses effective as antidepressants in mice
In a mouse study, the lenses reduced depression-like behavior and biomarkers by 48% and performed comparably to fluoxetine, researchers said.
- On Thursday, researchers in South Korea published a study in Cell Reports Physical Science describing experimental contact lenses that successfully treated depression in mice using mild electrical signals.
- Materials scientist Jang-Ung Park of Yonsei University designed the lenses using 'temporal interference,' where two dim beams create a 'bright spot' at the retina to stimulate mood-regulating brain regions.
- After three weeks of 30-minute daily sessions, the treatment proved as effective as fluoxetine, restoring neural connections between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex in the 30 test mice.
- Treated mice moved 76 percent more in a 10-minute interval, while biomarkers showed 47 percent serotonin increase and 48 percent corticosterone reduction, leading researchers to call it 'wearable, drug-free.'
- Park said the team plans to make the lenses wireless and 'test... for long-term safety in larger animals, and personalize the stimulation for each user before advancing into clinical trials in patients.
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op-online.deA contact lens transmitted electrical signals via the retina to the brain and alleviated depression in mice.
Just as transcranial electrical (or magnetic) stimulation constitutes a noninvasive pathway to the brain that allows to repair dysfunctional neural circuits in the brain.
Depressed mice successfully treated with smart contact lenses that zap their brains: New study
Scientists in South Korea have developed experimental contact lenses designed to send electrical signals through the retina and into brain regions linked to mood. In mice, the technology appeared to improve depression-like behavior.
Retinal stimulation via contact lenses effective as antidepressants in mice
Materials scientists have designed brain-stimulating contact lenses that are as effective as Prozac at treating depression in mice. The soft, transparent contact lenses have in-built electrodes that deliver mild electrical signals to the brain via the retina to stimulate specific brain regions associated with depression.
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