Real‐Time and Continuous Monitoring of Brain Deformation

Abstract Researchers have typically studied the brain by monitoring characteristic signals, such as electrophysiology and neurotransmitters by implanted electronics. Here, real‐time monitoring of dynamic deformations of the brain tissue in vivo, is demonstrated, as a new characteristic parameter that is reflective of brain states. As a proof of concept, a thin capacitive deformation sensor is fabricated and implanted between the skull and cortex, and the sensor is shown to effectively monitor dynamic deformations of the cortical surface in the rat brain as induced by respiration and heartbeat under different degrees of anesthesia. This brain monitoring approach based on deformation signals opens up a new direction for understanding the brain.