A nanorobot and a control method thereof

Abstract

The application provides a kind of nanorobot and its control method, carry the modified reverse sodium-potassium pump, can long time, continuously use the ion concentration change of organism itself to realize the regulation of nerve activity, can be widely applied to the intervention of a variety of nervous system excitation / inhibition imbalance related neurological diseases;Through the recognition of specific neuron's axon hillock initial segment by the potential receptor and field driving element, more accurate targeted regulation can be achieved;Through the characteristics of precise control of movement of ultrasonic wave of ultrasonic wave driving element, combined with imaging equipment, brain region targeted movement of nanorobot is realized, the nanorobot and its control method provided by the application improve the existing nanorobot, through the modified functional element, to realize the target brain region targeted guidance, neuron recognition and long-term regulation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a nanorobot and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Studies have shown that excitatory / inhibitory (E / I) imbalances exist in key neural circuits in neurological diseases such as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, cognitive impairment, and depression. Neuronal E / I imbalances can lead to abnormal electrical activity or even inactivation, affecting the body's normal functioning. Therefore, maintaining E / I balance in key neural nuclei is crucial for the normal functioning of specific neurons and the maintenance of physiological homeostasis. Recent research has found that drugs such as neurotrophic factors can regulate E / I balance; nanorobots have also successfully loaded and delivered drugs in animal models; however, long-term, targeted regulation of E / I balance in specific neurons still lacks clear clinical applications.

[0003] Methods for targeted modulation of brain neural activity in the human body include invasive electrical stimulation surgery and non-invasive methods such as magnetic, electrical, ultrasound, and optical modulation. Specific brain nuclei contain various types of neurons, often playing different roles. Therefore, it is necessary to precisely modulate specific neuronal groups in specific brain regions to regulate emotions and intervene in mental illnesses. To enable more efficient drug delivery to target areas and more effective regulatory functions, nanorobots capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and releasing drugs or other biomolecules are needed. In 1959, Feynman proposed that miniaturizing machines to micro / nanoscale would bring new momentum to the era. In recent years, several international teams have developed DNA nanorobots that can operate in the blood, detect cancer cells, and deliver proteins that cause blood clotting; neutrophil-hybridized nanorobots with the ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and kill glioma cells in the brain; and nanomachines with combined acoustic-optical conversion capabilities for more precise neuronal modulation.

[0004] Existing nanorobots already possess the characteristic of targeted neuronal regulation, but some problems remain unresolved: ① lack of recognition of specific neuronal groups in specific brain regions, especially deep brain regions; ② lack of effective regulation of neuronal E / I imbalance; ③ drug delivery is time-sensitive and cannot exert a long-term regulatory effect in vivo; ④ how to combine nanorobots with medical devices for clinical application in the neuro-targeted regulation of the human brain; ⑤ real-time imaging and guidance of nanorobots in vivo are still difficult to achieve, etc. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a nanorobot and its control method that can precisely target and manipulate specific neuronal groups in specific brain regions of humans, addressing the shortcomings of existing technologies.

[0006] To solve the above problems, this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] One objective of this application is to provide a nanorobot, comprising a capsid, a sodium-potassium pump disposed within the capsid, a field-driven element and a potentioreceptor, and an ultrasonic driving element disposed at the tail of the capsid. The sodium-potassium pump is used to pump a high concentration of extracellular sodium ions into the matrix within the capsid. The field-driven element is used to drive the nanorobot to migrate toward the axonal initiation segment. The potentioreceptor is used to identify the identity information of neurons. The ultrasonic driving element is used to drive the nanorobot to move under the ultrasonic waves of an external field.

[0008] In some embodiments, the capping is a polyacetic acid-hydroxyglycolic acid-polyethylene glycol polymer fused with lipids.

[0009] In some embodiments, the sodium-potassium pump pumps sodium ions into the matrix in a counter-current manner down the concentration gradient.

[0010] In some embodiments, the field-driven element utilizes the abundant sodium ion channels expressed on the surface of the axon initiation segment membrane and the potential energy difference formed with the surroundings when the action potential is generated to drive the nanorobot to migrate towards the axon initiation segment.

[0011] In some embodiments, an anchoring microtube is also included, which is connected to the sodium-potassium pump, the field driving element, and the potentiosensor, and is used to anchor the sodium-potassium pump, the field driving element, and the potentiosensor in the matrix.

[0012] In some embodiments, the head of the cap has a conical structure.

[0013] The second objective of this application is to provide a control method for the aforementioned nanorobot, comprising the following steps:

[0014] Plan the operational path of the nanorobot;

[0015] The nanorobot is delivered into the blood vessel according to the described route;

[0016] The ultrasonic driving element guides the nanorobot toward the target area;

[0017] The potentiometer determines the neuron type;

[0018] The field-driven element drives the nanorobot to migrate toward the axon initiation segment;

[0019] The sodium-potassium pump transports high concentrations of extracellular sodium ions into the matrix.

[0020] In some embodiments, the step of planning the operational route of the nanorobot specifically includes the following steps:

[0021] The target area is scanned using a magnetic resonance imaging device to obtain the location coordinates of the target nucleus, and the route for the nanorobot to enter is planned based on the distribution of blood vessels.

[0022] In some embodiments, the step of delivering the nanorobot into the blood vessel according to the described route specifically includes the following steps;

[0023] The nanorobot is injected into the bloodstream via intravenous injection according to the described route.

[0024] In some embodiments, during the step of guiding the nanorobot to the target area by the ultrasonic driving element, the nanorobot is driven to the target area by controlling the motion switch, speed, and trajectory of the ultrasonic driving element.

[0025] The present application adopts the above technical solution, and its beneficial effects are as follows:

[0026] The nanorobot and its control method provided in this application, equipped with a modified reverse-acting sodium-potassium pump, can regulate neural activity over a long period of time by utilizing changes in the body's own ion concentration. This allows for wide application in the intervention of various neurological diseases related to excitation / inhibition imbalances. By using onboard potentiometers and field-driven elements to identify the axonopod initiation segment of specific neurons, more precise targeted regulation can be achieved. Furthermore, by utilizing the precise ultrasonic motion control characteristics of the ultrasonic drive element, combined with imaging equipment, targeted brain region movement of the nanorobot can be realized. The nanorobot and its control method provided in this application improve upon existing nanorobots by modifying functional elements to achieve targeted guidance, neuron identification, and long-term regulation of target brain regions. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this application or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the nanorobot provided in Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the control method steps for a nanorobot provided in Embodiment 2 of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0031] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0032] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0034] This invention provides a nanorobot and its control method, aiming to provide a brain-specific neuron manipulation system with nanorobots as the core, to solve the problem of difficult-to-target manipulation of specific neuronal groups in specific brain regions of humans, and to provide a long-term and efficient regulation method for the treatment of human neurological and mental diseases.

[0035] Example 1

[0036] Please see Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a nanorobot provided in Embodiment 1, including a mantle 110, a sodium-potassium pump 120 disposed within the mantle 110, a field driving element 130 and a potentiometer 140, and an ultrasonic driving element 150 disposed at the tail of the mantle 110. The specific implementation of each functional element is described in detail below.

[0037] In this embodiment, the capsid 110 is a polyacetic acid-hydroxyglycolic acid-polyethylene glycol polymer fused with lipids, which has certain mechanical properties and maintains the permeability of lipids, ensuring the entry and exit of ions into and out of the matrix, while also isolating the functional elements from the clearance effect of proteases and glial cells in brain tissue. The present invention can construct a specific capsid shape by cross-linking microtubules.

[0038] Furthermore, the head of the capsid 110 has a cone-shaped structure 111, which facilitates the movement of the nanorobot within the tissue.

[0039] The sodium-potassium pump 120 is disposed inside the capsid 110, and the sodium-potassium pump 120 is used to pump high concentrations of extracellular sodium ions into the matrix inside the capsid 110.

[0040] In this embodiment, the sodium-potassium pump 120 can utilize the characteristics of the interval between two action potential firings and the increase in extracellular sodium ion concentration to pump sodium ions into the nanorobot matrix in a reverse manner along the concentration gradient, thereby reducing the decrease in extracellular sodium ion concentration at the neuronal axonopod and reducing the firing frequency and duration of action potentials.

[0041] It is understood that the sodium-potassium pump 120 can synthesize ATPase in the reverse direction under specific conditions. During the interval between two action potential firings, sodium ions inside the neuron are transported to the extracellular space via the sodium-potassium pump, increasing the extracellular sodium ion concentration. This allows a large amount of sodium ion to flow into the cell through open sodium ion channels, causing the action potential to fire again. The modified sodium-potassium pump in this embodiment can utilize the characteristic of increased extracellular sodium ion concentration during the interval between two action potential firings to pump sodium ions into the nanorobot matrix while simultaneously transporting potassium ions, thus delaying the re-firing of action potentials and reducing the frequency of action potential firing, thereby achieving the purpose of regulating the neuronal excitation / inhibition balance.

[0042] The field-driven element 130 is used to drive the nanorobot to migrate toward the axon initiation segment.

[0043] In this embodiment, the field-driven element 130 utilizes the abundant sodium ion channels expressed on the surface of the axon initiation segment membrane and the potential energy difference formed with the surroundings when the action potential is released to drive the nanorobot to migrate towards the axon initiation segment.

[0044] It is understandable that, due to the abundance of sodium ion channels on the axon initiation segment membrane, its voltage threshold is low, and the movement towards the axon initiation segment is driven by charge-sensitive materials; when the initiation action potential is released, the membrane potential of the axon initiation segment changes rapidly, which can drive the field potential difference-sensitive element to target the axon mound.

[0045] The potentioreceptor 140 is used to identify the identity information of neurons. Since different types of neurons have specific electrical fingerprint characteristics, the identity information of neurons can be identified through the potentioreceptor 140.

[0046] The ultrasonic driving element 150 is used to drive the nanorobot to move under ultrasonic waves in an external field.

[0047] It is understood that the ultrasonic driving element 150 can drive the nanorobot to move under the ultrasonic waves in the external field. By controlling the switching, speed and trajectory of the ultrasonic driving element 150, precise "on-demand movement" can be achieved, helping the nanorobot to penetrate tissue barriers through high-speed movement.

[0048] In this embodiment, the nanorobot further includes an anchoring microtube 160, which is connected to the sodium-potassium pump 120, the field driving element 130, and the potentiosensor 140. The anchoring microtube 160 is used to anchor the sodium-potassium pump 120, the field driving element 130, and the potentiosensor 140 in the matrix.

[0049] It is understood that in this embodiment, a biocompatible matrix is ​​used as a carrier, and the anchoring microtubes 160 can be used to anchor the functional elements in the matrix of the nanorobot.

[0050] The nanorobot provided in Embodiment 1 of this application is equipped with a modified reverse-acting sodium-potassium pump, which can regulate neural activity over a long period of time by utilizing changes in the body's own ion concentration. It can be widely used in the intervention of various neurological diseases related to the imbalance of excitation / inhibition in the nervous system. By using the onboard potential receptors and field-driven elements to identify the axonopod initiation segment of specific neurons, more precise targeted regulation can be achieved. By using the ultrasonic drive element to precisely control the movement of ultrasound, combined with imaging equipment, the nanorobot can achieve targeted movement of brain regions. The above-mentioned nanorobot improves upon existing nanorobots by modifying functional elements to achieve targeted guidance, neuronal identification, and long-term regulation of target brain regions. In practical applications, it can be divided into short-term and long-term regulation, and superficial and deep brain region regulation, depending on the different intervention courses. This allows the nanorobot to be equipped with different regulation and drive elements for precise individual intervention treatment.

[0051] Example 2

[0052] Please see Figure 2 The following is a flowchart of a control method for a nanorobot provided in this embodiment 2, including the following steps S110 to S160. The implementation of each step is described in detail below.

[0053] S110: Plan the operating route of the nanorobot.

[0054] In this embodiment, the target area is scanned by a magnetic resonance imaging device to obtain the location coordinates of the target nucleus, and the route for the nanorobot to enter can be planned by combining the distribution of blood vessels.

[0055] S120: Deliver the nanorobot into the blood vessel according to the described route.

[0056] In some embodiments, the step of delivering the nanorobot into a blood vessel according to the described route specifically includes the following step: injecting the nanorobot into a blood vessel via intravenous injection according to the described route.

[0057] It is understandable that in practice, the nanorobots are not limited to being delivered into blood vessels via injection.

[0058] S130: The ultrasonic driving element 150 guides the nanorobot to the target area.

[0059] It is understood that the ultrasonic driving element 150 can drive the nanorobot to move under the ultrasonic waves in the external field. By controlling the switching, speed and trajectory of the ultrasonic driving element 150, precise "on-demand movement" can be achieved, helping the nanorobot to penetrate tissue barriers through high-speed movement.

[0060] S140: The potentiometer 140 determines the neuron type.

[0061] Understandably, during this process, the nanorobot's capsid is removed, and since different types of neurons have specific electrical fingerprint characteristics, the neuron's identity information can be identified through the potentioreceptor 140.

[0062] S150: The field driving element 130 drives the nanorobot to migrate toward the axon initiation segment.

[0063] In this embodiment, the field-driven element 130 utilizes the abundant sodium ion channels expressed on the surface of the axon initiation segment membrane and the potential energy difference formed with the surroundings when the action potential is released to drive the nanorobot to migrate towards the axon initiation segment.

[0064] It is understandable that, due to the abundance of sodium ion channels on the axon initiation segment membrane, its voltage threshold is low, and the movement towards the axon initiation segment is driven by charge-sensitive materials; when the initiation action potential is released, the membrane potential of the axon initiation segment changes rapidly, which can drive the field potential difference-sensitive element to target the axon mound.

[0065] S160: The sodium-potassium pump 120 transports high concentrations of extracellular sodium ions into the matrix.

[0066] In this embodiment, the sodium-potassium pump 120 can utilize the characteristics of the interval between two action potential firings and the increase in extracellular sodium ion concentration to pump sodium ions into the nanorobot matrix in a reverse manner along the concentration gradient, thereby reducing the decrease in extracellular sodium ion concentration at the neuronal axonopod and reducing the firing frequency and duration of action potentials.

[0067] It is understood that the sodium-potassium pump 120 can synthesize ATPase in the reverse direction under specific conditions. During the interval between two action potential firings, sodium ions inside the neuron are transported to the extracellular space via the sodium-potassium pump, increasing the extracellular sodium ion concentration. This allows a large amount of sodium ion to flow into the cell through open sodium ion channels, causing the action potential to fire again. The modified sodium-potassium pump in this embodiment can utilize the characteristic of increased extracellular sodium ion concentration during the interval between two action potential firings to pump sodium ions into the nanorobot matrix while simultaneously transporting potassium ions, thus delaying the re-firing of action potentials and reducing the frequency of action potential firing, thereby achieving the purpose of regulating the neuronal excitation / inhibition balance.

[0068] The nanorobot control method provided in Embodiment 2 of this application, equipped with a modified reverse-acting sodium-potassium pump, can continuously regulate neural activity over a long period by utilizing changes in the body's own ion concentration. This method can be widely applied to the intervention of various neurological diseases related to excitation / inhibition imbalances. By using onboard potentiometers and field-driven elements to identify the axonopod initiation segment of specific neurons, more precise targeted regulation can be achieved. The precise motion control characteristics of the ultrasonic drive element, combined with imaging equipment, enable targeted brain region movement of the nanorobot. This nanorobot improves upon existing nanorobots by modifying functional elements to achieve targeted guidance, neuronal identification, and long-term regulation of target brain regions. In practical applications, it can be categorized into short-term and long-term regulation, and superficial and deep brain region regulation, depending on the intervention course. This allows the nanorobot to be equipped with different regulatory and driving elements for precise individual intervention treatment. The successful realization of this invention contributes to clinical translation and provides new treatment methods for effective intervention of neuropsychiatric diseases such as epilepsy, depression, and Parkinson's disease.

[0069] It is understood that the technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0070] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application, and only specifically describe the technical principles of this application. These descriptions are only for explaining the principles of this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application in any way. Based on this explanation, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application, as well as other specific embodiments of this application that can be conceived by those skilled in the art without creative effort, should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A nanorobot, characterized in that, The device includes a capsid, a sodium-potassium pump disposed within the capsid, a field-driven element and a potentioreceptor, and an ultrasonic driving element disposed at the tail of the capsid. The sodium-potassium pump is used to pump high concentrations of extracellular sodium ions into the matrix within the capsid. The field-driven element is used to drive the nanorobot to migrate toward the axon initiation segment. The potentioreceptor is used to identify the identity information of neurons. The ultrasonic driving element is used to drive the nanorobot to move under the ultrasonic waves of an external field.

2. The nanorobot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The capping layer is a polyacetic acid-hydroxyglycolic acid-polyethylene glycol polymer fused with lipids.

3. The nanorobot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sodium-potassium pump pumps sodium ions into the matrix in a reverse-direction manner, following the concentration gradient.

4. The nanorobot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The field-driven element utilizes the abundant sodium ion channels expressed on the surface of the axon initiation segment membrane and the potential energy difference formed with the surroundings when the action potential is generated to drive the nanorobot to migrate towards the axon initiation segment.

5. The nanorobot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an anchoring microtube connected to the sodium-potassium pump, the field driving element, and the potentiosensor, the anchoring microtube being used to anchor the sodium-potassium pump, the field driving element, and the potentiosensor in the matrix.

6. The nanorobot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The head of the cap has a cone-shaped structure.

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