Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41639090›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

Injectable hydrogel bioelectrostimulator for wireless deep brain neuromodulation.

Ming Yang, Wenliang Liu, Ping Chen, Zhuang Liu, Renyuan Sun, Baochun Xu, Qiong Wang, Bingqing Xue, Chuan Gao, Jiahui She and 9 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

Ming Yang *National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Wenliang Liu *National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Ping Chen *National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Zhuang Liu *Department of Neurology, Songjiang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Renyuan Sun *National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Baochun XuDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
Qiong WangDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Bingqing XueStem cells and Tissue Engineering Manufacture Center, School of Life Science, Hubei University, Wuhan, China.
Chuan GaoNational Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Jiahui SheNational Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Chong MaNational Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Dingke ZhangNational Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Zhikun LiNational Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Nanxi YiNational Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Donghui ZhangStem cells and Tissue Engineering Manufacture Center, School of Life Science, Hubei University, Wuhan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8128-5874
Jiexiong FengDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-7135-5227
Cunjiang YuDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA. cunjiang@illinois.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0155-0368
Jie WangDepartment of Neurology, Songjiang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. jie.wang@shsmu.edu.cn.
Zhiqiang LuoNational Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. zhiqiangluo@hust.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3867-6607

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) No. 32471387National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) No. 325B2052
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is effective for treating neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, its tethered configuration, invasiveness, and limited tissue compatibility motivate wireless, minimally invasive alternatives. Here, we develop an in situ-gelled injectable conductive hydrogel (ICH), enabling wireless neuromodulation via electric-field localization under volume conduction. The ICH forms in vivo through bio-catalyzed polymerization and electrostatic self-assembly, yielding a stable, highly conductive, tissue-soft, and biocompatible network. Under high-frequency capacitive coupling, impedance difference between the ICH and surrounding brain tissue induces interfacial polarization and charge accumulation, locally concentrating the electric field to activate nearby neurons. This mechanism is supported by enhanced calcium signaling, increased c-Fos expression, and electrophysiological evidence of balanced basal ganglia-cortical activity. In a Parkinson's disease rat model, ICH-mediated stimulation improved locomotor behavior, preserved dopaminergic neurons, and restored functional connectivity and structural integrity as revealed by fMRI. This injectable hydrogel bioelectronics provides a platform for minimally invasive, wireless neuromodulation therapies.

Indexed as

Deep Brain StimulationHydrogelsParkinson DiseaseWireless TechnologyAnimalsBrainDisease Models, AnimalMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleNeuronsRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyHydrogels

Identifiers

PMID41639090
PMCPMC13194742

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.