Non-invasive brain stimulation meets nanotechnology

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MIT Researchers Devel­op Wire­less, Non­in­va­sive Deep Brain Stim­u­la­tion Approach (Med Device online):

“Sci­en­tists have intro­duced a nov­el method of admin­is­ter­ing brain stim­u­la­tion that requires no implants or exter­nal con­nec­tions. By inject­ing mag­net­ic nanopar­ti­cles into the brain, researchers have found that they can manip­u­late neu­rons by apply­ing exter­nal mag­net­ic fields…

While deep brain stim­u­la­tion (DBS) has proven effec­tive in assuag­ing the debil­i­tat­ing symp­toms of Parkinson’s, it is reserved by clin­i­cians as a last resort because of the device’s inva­sive­ness and sub­se­quent risk of stroke or infec­tion. Experts have been research­ing ways to give the treat­ment a tech­ni­cal overhaul…

A team at MIT has been explor­ing the poten­tial of mag­net­ism to do away with the wires or implant­ed elec­trodes typ­i­cal­ly asso­ci­at­ed in DBS. Though tran­scra­nial mag­net­ic stim­u­la­tion is already in clin­i­cal use, it is only effec­tive on brain tis­sue near­est to the sur­face. For max­i­mum effect against hard to man­age symp­toms, the team is explor­ing ways to go deeper…”

Learn more:

• 10 Ways to Improve Health Based on the Lat­est Non-Inva­sive Neurotechnologies
• Upcom­ing mar­ket report on Per­va­sive Neurotechnology