The research, published in Nature Communications, could improve the long-term success of brain implants now that a target has been identified to address.

“Understanding the role of bacteria in implant performance and brain health could revolutionize how these devices are designed and maintained,” said Jeff Capadona, Case Western Reserve’s vice provost for innovation, the Donnell Institute Professor of Biomedical Engineering and senior research career scientist at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.

Capadona’s lab led the study, which examined the presence of bacterial DNA in the brains of mouse models implanted with microelectrodes.

To their surprise, researchers found bacteria linked to the gut inside the brain. The discovery suggests that a breach in what is known as “the blood-brain barrier,” caused by implanting the device, could allow microbes to enter.