Recently, a research team headed by Researcher Zhou Zhitao at the National Key Laboratory of Sensor Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology (SIMIT), joined forces with the team led by Chief Physician Tan Jinyun from Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, and Researcher Tao Hu's group at Shanghai Brain Tiger Technology Co., Ltd. Together, they have pioneered the use of bidirectional closed-loop flexible brain-machine interface technology in vascular surgery, offering an innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approach for vascular dysfunction.

The research team ingeniously merged semiconductor micro- and nano-fabrication techniques with the functionalization strategies of silk fibroin materials. This fusion led to the creation of a flexible vascular neural interface, rooted in adherent silk fibroin. This interface is adept at conforming closely to the three-dimensional curvature of blood vessels, even in intricate liquid settings. It establishes a robust coupling with the sympathetic nerve network that encircles the blood vessels, facilitating the high-fidelity acquisition of vascular electrophysiological signals. Moreover, it can accurately discern patterns of sympathetic nerve activity under varying conditions of vasodilation and constriction.

Addressing the challenges posed by vascular dysfunction following metal stent implantation, this innovative interface excels in real-time monitoring of dynamic shifts in vasodilation and constriction functions. Furthermore, it has the capability to reinstate normal vascular regulatory functions through electrical stimulation. Its efficacy in functional intervention has been substantiated by arterial stiffness parameters, which were assessed using the clinical gold standard of vascular ultrasound. The pertinent research findings have been published in Nature Communications.