Neuralink says its first human brain implant is running into trouble

Elon Musk’s startup Neuralink on Wednesday said part of its brain implant was damaged after it inserted the system into a human patient for the first time.

Neuralink has built a brain-computer interface, or BCI, that could eventually help paralyzed patients control external technology using only their minds. The company’s system, called Link, records neural signals using 1,024 electrodes in 64 “threads” that are thinner than a human hair, according to website.

In January, Neuralink implanted the device in a 29-year-old patient named Noland Arbaugh as part of a study to verify its safety. The company aired a live video of Arbaugh while he was using the BCI in March, and Neuralink said in April blog post that the operation went “extremely well.”

But in the weeks since, a number of strands have pulled away from Arbaugh’s brain, Neuralink said in blog post Wednesday. This meant there were fewer effective electrodes, hampering the company’s ability to measure connection speed and accuracy.

Neuralink does not disclose how many threads have been pulled from the fabric. The company did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

As a workaround, Neuralink said it changed the recording algorithm, improved the user interface and worked to improve techniques for converting signals into cursor movements, the blog post said. Neuralink is reportedly considering removing the implant, but the issue does not pose a direct risk to Arbaugh’s safety, according to The Wall Street Journal, who previously reported the issue. Neuralink shared its blog post after the Journal asked the company about the issue, according to the report.

Although some threads have pulled out of Arbaugh’s brain tissue, Neuralink said he uses the company’s BCI system for about eight hours a day during the week and often up to 10 hours a day on weekends.

Arbaugh said the relationship was like “luxury overload” and helped him “reconnect with the world,” according to the blog post.

Neuralink isn’t the only company building a BCI system, and the technology has been studied in academia for decades.

Neuralink has a long road of safety and efficacy testing before it meets the requirements for US Food and Drug Administration approval to commercialize the technology.