This Neural Implant Smaller Than 1cm Will Help You Lose Weight

By implanting a small weight loss stimulating device initiated by the stomach’s movements, scientists have probably succeeded in developing an innovative and non-invasive way to aid weight loss.

With the development of industrialization in the food sector and considerable advances in urbanization, the number of people suffering from obesity around the world has reached the most significant number ever recorded.

The cause of obesity is taking in more calories than what the body requires to function. This creates considerable risks of suffering from a huge number of long-term diseases such as kidney diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, etc. Furthermore, obesity treatment incurs enormous expenses for the international healthcare system.

Multi-sided research that includes deep learning techniques, for example, analyzing satellite photos with artificial intelligence, and studying how migration to the US affects diet, is providing hints.

Another part of this discussion is the increase in the number of research studies aiming at formerly-analyzed techniques for stimulating weight loss, which involves making alterations to cells or molecules.

Currently, an implant that is believed to be able to reprogram several of the core feelings linked to the regulation of our appetite has been developed by a group of scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In particular, this research focuses on the vagus nerve.

The solution lies in an implant

The vagus nerve (or CN X) is the 10th among 12 cranial nerves, a group that stimulates our organs, skin, and muscles. CN X is also the longest nerve and has a role in controlling our heart, lungs, and digestive system.

The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in losing weight because it assists the sensory information that influences our esophagus and most of the digestive system. It even demonstrates a small contribution to the feeling of tastes in one area of the tongue.

Vagus nerve

The scientists state that the CN X stimulation structure composes of an adaptable and biocompatible nanogenerator, which will be linked to the stomach’s surface and produce two-phase electric pulses in response to the involuntary constriction and relaxation of the stomach.

The scientists used 3D printing technology to manufacture the implant with the size of more than 1cm for lab mice. In 100 days, the mice reached an undeviating average body mass of 350g. More significantly, this figure was 38% lower than the result seen from the control groups.

Xudong Wang, a materials science and engineering professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and also the major investigator this research project, stated, “The device produces pulses that coordinate with movements of the stomach, producing a natural reaction to aid the regulation of food consumption.”

A simple design

With the goal of constructing a straightforward design, Wang and the research team created a device that doesn’t include any complicated wire system, no electronic component or battery. Thus, the movements of the stomach act as the stimulus to activate the implant.

Wang described that the implant automatically reacts to our body’s function, only generating stimulation when necessary. The human body knows what’s best for it.”

Hopefully, the researchers will eventually be able to create research studies that include human trials if they can expand the extent of their study to involve larger animal test subjects and still accomplish similar results.

Wang is optimistic about the implant, saying the team expects this implant to have a higher level of efficiency and convenience than other technologies.” Based on the indications, with enough resources and time, the researchers will develop a non-invasive and reliable implant that stimulates weight-loss.

More detailed information on the research project can be found in the article titled “Effective weight control via an implanted self-powered vagus nerve stimulation device” published in the Nature Communications journal on December 17th.