US Defence funds $6m ‘blue sky’ Melbourne research project to treat Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome

IN A highly unusual move, the US defence department is backing a $6m Melbourne project to treat a side effect of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.

US military backs Melbourne implant project

THE US military is backing a $6 million Melbourne project to develop a bionic device to treat one of the most damaging side effects of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, by stimulating nerves in the gut.

It is highly unusual for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), an agency of the US Department of Defense, to fund a research team from outside the US for “blue sky” research projects.

But the team of five’s unique skill set, including neurophysicists, a biomedical engineer, computer scientist and surgeon, set them apart in their bid to offer new treatments for chronic digestive tract conditions.

“Electroceuticals”, the use of bio-electronic implants to stimulate nerves in the same way as medication does to treat inflammatory diseases, is a new area of research that has emerged in the past year.

The US military’s interest lies in the fact that war veterans are twice as likely to develop Inflammatory Bowel Disease — which includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease — with PTSD causing toxic physiological processes, such as immune deficiencies that can trigger inflammatory conditions.

More than 1 in 1000 people in the general population have this chronic inflammation of the digestive tract is both painful, restricts daily activities and is often resistant to treatments, which even are effective carry significant side effects.

Principal investigator Professor John Furness, from the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, said while some inflammation in the body was helpful — including fighting infection and muscle growth — too much or too little inflammation triggered disease.

The team plans to wrap electrodes around the 2mm wide branches of the vagus nerve in the abdomen, which is one of the longest nerves running from the brain to the stomach and branches into each organ in between.

These electrode leads would be connected to a stimulator, implanted under the skin near the collar bone like a pace maker.

The stimulator would be linked to a controller outside the body, ideally on a Smart phone, which the doctor would use to send radiofrequency signals to the device across the skin to stimulate the nerves.

“We think it’s realistic, but ambitious,” Prof Furness said.

“They don’t just want to know it works, but how it works. That’s part of the remit.

“The interaction between the nervous system and immune system is a burgeoning field. It’s just beginning and it’s going to be huge.”

Prof Furness is joined by Florey neurophysiologist colleague Professor Robin McAllen, Director of the Bionics Institute Professor Robert Shepherd, Professor David Grayden as Director of Biomedical Engineering at University of Melbourne, and Director of the Victorian Liver Transplantation Unit based at Austin Health Professor Bob Jones.

Prof McAllen said it was hoped if successful, the device could be used to treat other types of inflammation such as arthritis and respiratory diseases.

They are aiming to test the device in humans within four years if studies in sheep are successful.