Researchers Develop a Non-invasive Sensor That Detects Intracranial Hypertension

Researchers discovered a new non-invasive sensor that could aid in the development of novel treatments for intracranial Hypertension. The findings are reported in the journal Hypertension .

Intracranial Hypertension refers to a condition where the pressure of the fluid that surrounds the brain is higher than the normal level.

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‘Elevation in blood pressure levels is associated with intracranial Hypertension. Losartan can potentially help control intracranial Hypertension.’

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Researchers from the São Paulo State University (UNESP) and Brain4care, a startup based in São Carlos, sought to find the relationship between blood pressure and intracranial pressure. They monitored both in rats for six weeks.

Renal artery obstruction was created in rats with the help of vascular clips, restricting the flow of blood to one kidney. During the third week, rats developed Hypertension throughout their bodies, in addition to fluid retention.

In the sixth week, blood pressure was high (190 per 100 mmHg), and a significant elevation in intracranial pressure was observed through alterations in the pulse waveforms. And towards the end of the study, the rats were treated with losartan, a drug that reduces high blood pressure.

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"We were the first to succeed in monitoring this process non-invasively, tracking changes in the shape of the intracranial pressure curve," said Eduardo Colombari, principal investigator for the study. Colombari is a professor at UNESP’s Dental School in Araraquara (FOAr).

Another part of the study included a comparative assessment of the efficacy of newly developed non-invasive sensors and the invasive method in detecting intracranial pressure. Some patients with systemic impairments underwent intracranial pressure measurement using the wearable sensor developed by Brain4care.

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Gustavo Frigieri, Brain4care's Scientific Director, thinks this discovery could also be potentially helpful in research applications. He said, "Our technology can close gaps left open owing to the aggressiveness of the conventional method, which entails a significant risk of infection because a hole is drilled in the skull to insert a sensor."

Test Your Knowledge on Intracranial Hypertension
Idiopathic or benign intracranial hypertension, earlier known as pseudotumor cerebri, occurs due to increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure within the skull. It should be promptly recognized and treated to prevent vision loss.

Source-Medindia