New hydrogel can help repair damaged nerves: Study

Beijing, Oct 8 (IANS) Researchers have developed a stretchable conductive hydrogel that could someday be used to repair damaged nerves.According to the study, published in the journal ACS Nano, injuries in which a peripheral nerve has been completely severed, such as a deep cut from an accident, are difficult to treat.A common strategy, called autologous nerve transplantation, involves removing a section of the peripheral nerve from elsewhere in the body and sewing it onto the ends of the severed one.However, the surgery does not always restore function, and multiple follow-up surgeries are sometimes needed.The research team from Nanjing University in China wanted to develop an effective, fast-acting treatment that could replace autologous nerve transplantation.For this purpose, they decided to explore conducting hydrogels -- water-swollen, biocompatible polymers that can transmit bioelectrical signals.The researchers prepared a tough but stretchable conductive hydrogel containing polyaniline and polyacrylamide.The crosslinked polymer had a 3D microporous network that, once implanted, allowed nerve cells to enter and adhere, helping restore lost tissue.The team showed that the material could conduct bioelectrical signals through a damaged sciatic nerve removed from a toad. Then, they implanted the hydrogel into rats with sciatic nerve injuries.Two weeks later, the rats' nerves recovered their bioelectrical properties, and their walking improved compared with untreated rats."Because the electricity-conducting properties of the material improve with irradiation by near-infrared light, which can penetrate tissues, it could be possible to further enhance nerve conduction and recovery in this way," the study authors wrote.
--IANS bu/bg