journal article·2026-03Open access

Magnetically Responsive Piezoelectric Nanocapacitors Enhance Neural Recovery Following Spinal Cord Injury via Targeted Spinal Magnetic Stimulation

Zhihang Xiao, Tingting Li, Lechi Zhang, Chunya Xia, Zelin Su, Xuyan Ren, Yingjie Fan, Zerui Wu, Yaobo Liu, Min Su

Advanced Science· Volume 13· Issue 13

Abstract

ABSTRACT Precise intracorporeal electrical–magnetic stimulation represents a promising strategy for promoting neural network reconstruction and motor function recovery after spinal cord injury. However, overcoming the inherent limitations of conventional intracorporeal electrical stimulation—such as infection risks from implanted wires and the logistical challenges posed by external power sources—while simultaneously improving the spatial precision of stimulation remains a major unmet need. Here, we introduce a novel therapeutic approach that integrates extracorporeal trans‐spinal magnetic stimulation with energy‐storing, sustained‐release piezoelectric nanomaterials to generate precise, noninvasive electrical stimulation for spinal cord injury treatment. Experimental results demonstrate that these piezoelectric nanocapacitors induce current conduction across the dura mater in response to extracorporeal trans‐spinal magnetic stimulation, thereby achieving highly localized and accurate electrical stimulation. Our findings show that this approach effectively promotes corticospinal tract axonal regeneration distal to the injury site, restores functional neural connectivity, and improves lower limb motor performance. Notably, the magnetically responsive piezoelectric nanocapacitors do not require open surgical implantation and are capable of delivering long‐term, localized electrical stimulation. This strategy establishes a new paradigm for extracorporeal neuromodulation in spinal cord injury therapy and provides a promising foundation for the development of implant‐free, remotely controllable neuromodulation systems.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Spinal Cord Injury Research · Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies · Muscle activation and electromyography studies

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University Suzhou China

Rehabilitation Research Institute of Soochow University Soochow University Suzhou China

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Suzhou Rehabilitation Hospital Suzhou China

Department of Traumatic Surgery Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University First Peoples' Hospital of Changshu City Changshu Jiangsu China

Department of Orthopedics Central Laboratory Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University First People's Hospital of Changshu City Changshu Jiangsu China

Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery and Translational Research for Brain Diseases Institute of Neuroscience Soochow University Suzhou China

Co‐innovation Center of Neuroregeneration Nantong University Nantong China

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China · National Natural Science Foundation of China

References (77)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1136/bmj.n95510.1136/bmj.n955 ↗
2. 10.1038/nature2011810.1038/nature20118 ↗
3. 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30601-310.1016/S0140-6736(17)30601-3 ↗
4. 10.1038/s41591-024-02940-910.1038/s41591-024-02940-9 ↗
5. 10.1038/s41551-024-01299-z10.1038/s41551-024-01299-z ↗
6. 10.1038/s41586-020-03180-w10.1038/s41586-020-03180-w ↗
7. Restoration of Sensory Feedback From the Foot and Reduction of Phantom Limb Pain via Closed‐loop Spinal Cord Stimulation
8. 10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30287-410.1016/S1474-4422(18)30287-4 ↗
9. 10.1038/s41467-024-44898-910.1038/s41467-024-44898-9 ↗
10. 10.1038/s41467-020-20703-110.1038/s41467-020-20703-1 ↗
11. 10.1002/advs.20250142510.1002/advs.202501425 ↗
12. 10.1002/adma.20230299710.1002/adma.202302997 ↗
13. 10.1038/s41586-023-06628-x10.1038/s41586-023-06628-x ↗
14. 10.1002/adfm.20230927010.1002/adfm.202309270 ↗
15. 10.1016/j.nanoen.2022.10807610.1016/j.nanoen.2022.108076 ↗
16. 10.1002/adma.20220825610.1002/adma.202208256 ↗
17. 10.1002/adma.20230872610.1002/adma.202308726 ↗
18. 10.1021/acsnano.2c0581810.1021/acsnano.2c05818 ↗
19. 10.1007/s10439-012-0628-y10.1007/s10439-012-0628-y ↗
20. 10.1016/j.mtbio.2024.10095010.1016/j.mtbio.2024.100950 ↗
21. 10.1002/adma.20231367210.1002/adma.202313672 ↗
22. 10.1016/j.brs.2020.03.02010.1016/j.brs.2020.03.020 ↗
23. 10.4103/1673-5374.33901210.4103/1673-5374.339012 ↗
24. 10.4103/1673-5374.33516110.4103/1673-5374.335161 ↗
25. 10.7554/eLife.3055210.7554/eLife.30552 ↗
26. 10.1126/science.aah701110.1126/science.aah7011 ↗
27. 10.1007/s13311-020-00915-510.1007/s13311-020-00915-5 ↗
28. 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.01810.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.018 ↗
29. 10.1021/acsnano.4c0886310.1021/acsnano.4c08863 ↗
30. 10.1002/adfm.20191010810.1002/adfm.201910108 ↗
31. 10.1002/adma.20241416110.1002/adma.202414161 ↗
32. 10.1002/adhm.20160024510.1002/adhm.201600245 ↗
33. 10.1002/adma.20200609310.1002/adma.202006093 ↗
34. 10.1002/advs.20210086410.1002/advs.202100864 ↗
35. 10.1038/s41586-022-05385-710.1038/s41586-022-05385-7 ↗
36. 10.1038/s41591-021-01663-510.1038/s41591-021-01663-5 ↗
37. 10.1038/s41586-025-09028-510.1038/s41586-025-09028-5 ↗
38. 10.1126/science.adi641210.1126/science.adi6412 ↗
39. 10.1007/s40820-020-0373-y10.1007/s40820-020-0373-y ↗
40. 10.1002/anie.20190769510.1002/anie.201907695 ↗
41. 10.3390/polym1302017410.3390/polym13020174 ↗
42. 10.1021/acsami.2c0161110.1021/acsami.2c01611 ↗
43. 10.1038/s41591-022-02202-610.1038/s41591-022-02202-6 ↗
44. 10.1038/s41591-024-03484-810.1038/s41591-024-03484-8 ↗
45. 10.1016/j.brs.2020.03.01010.1016/j.brs.2020.03.010 ↗
46. 10.1126/scitranslmed.abq688510.1126/scitranslmed.abq6885 ↗
47. 10.1186/s13018-024-04879-610.1186/s13018-024-04879-6 ↗
48. 10.1002/adma.20220250810.1002/adma.202202508 ↗
49. 10.1016/j.brs.2019.10.00210.1016/j.brs.2019.10.002 ↗
50. 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.12210010.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122100 ↗
51. 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.09.02510.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.09.025 ↗
52. 10.1016/S1474-4422(21)00464-610.1016/S1474-4422(21)00464-6 ↗
53. 10.1186/s13036-022-00306-810.1186/s13036-022-00306-8 ↗
54. 10.1186/s40779-024-00576-x10.1186/s40779-024-00576-x ↗
55. 10.1038/nmat314610.1038/nmat3146 ↗
56. 10.1002/advs.20210080510.1002/advs.202100805 ↗
57. 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.01.02310.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.01.023 ↗
58. 10.1016/S1474-4422(24)00447-210.1016/S1474-4422(24)00447-2 ↗
59. 10.1021/acsami.8b0529310.1021/acsami.8b05293 ↗
60. 10.1038/s41536-019-0075-610.1038/s41536-019-0075-6 ↗
61. 10.1007/s12015-018-9856-310.1007/s12015-018-9856-3 ↗
62. 10.1002/adma.20231035110.1002/adma.202310351 ↗
63. 10.1002/adma.20241669810.1002/adma.202416698 ↗
64. 10.1038/s41467-023-39745-210.1038/s41467-023-39745-2 ↗
65. Myelin‐Derived EphrinB3 Restricts Axonal Regeneration and Recovery After Adult CNS Injury
66. 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1925-12.201210.1523/JNEUROSCI.1925-12.2012 ↗
67. Lipin1 Depletion Coordinates Neuronal Signaling Pathways to Promote Motor and Sensory Axon Regeneration After Spinal Cord Injury
68. 10.1016/j.cmet.2020.02.00210.1016/j.cmet.2020.02.002 ↗
69. 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.12.04010.1016/j.ymthe.2024.12.040 ↗
70. 10.1038/nm.402510.1038/nm.4025 ↗
71. 10.1002/adma.20210242810.1002/adma.202102428 ↗
72. 10.1089/neu.2015.414010.1089/neu.2015.4140 ↗
73. 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.10237510.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102375 ↗
74. 10.1002/adfm.20230399210.1002/adfm.202303992 ↗
75. 10.1186/s12984-021-00888-210.1186/s12984-021-00888-2 ↗
76. 10.7150/thno.7092910.7150/thno.70929 ↗
77. 10.1016/j.cell.2014.11.01910.1016/j.cell.2014.11.019 ↗