Brain stimulation

New research is a very early step towards a brain implant that can detect and suppress pain in real time

Science

Experimental brain implant instantly detects and relieves pain

Researchers have developed a brain implant designed to detect pain sensations in real-time and deliver bursts of pain-relieving stimulation. The device is still experimental but a proof of concept study shows it working effectively in rodent models.

It's hoped a prototype wearable device will allow clinical trials to test whether olfactory stimulation can help treat neurodegenerative disease

Medical

Google-Glass-like smell stimulation device proposed as dementia therapy

A novel wearable that stimulates the olfactory system using electrical pulses has been proposed as a way to prevent or slow dementia-related neurodegeneration. A dysfunctional sense of smell is suspected to be one of the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s.

If validated in larger studies, deep brain stimulation will become the first clinically proven therapy to slow Parkinson's disease progression

Medical

Landmark study finds deep brain stimulation slows Parkinson’s progression

New data reporting the long-term effects of deep brain stimulation on early-stage Parkinson’s patients has found the treatment significantly slows the progression of the disease. A large Phase 3 trial is now underway to verify these findings.

Targeting a specific brain region with ultrasound pulses can affect the behavior of monkeys

Medical

Ultrasound brain stimulation changes monkey behavior directly

The brain is hard to treat – medications have side effects and surgery is dangerous and invasive. But now, researchers have shown how ultrasound can be used to affect specific regions of the brain, and even influence behavior in monkeys.

A small early study reported a 90 percent remission rate lasting up to a month in most subjects

Medical

Strong results from new Stanford brain stimulation method for depression

Stanford researchers optimized an FDA-approved form of non-invasive magnetic brain stimulation to better treat treatment-resistant depression. A preliminary study achieved a 90-percent remission rate, with larger trials underway.

Scientists claim to have identified a tiny area of the brain that can switch consciousness on and off when hit with electric stimulation

Science

Researchers find a "consciousness switch" deep in the brain

University of Wisconson, Madison researchers have found a kind of "consciousness switch" in a specific area of the brain. When they hit this spot with electrical stimulation, monkeys immediately woke up from an anesthetized state.

The researchers suggest the new EEG diagnostic tool could be available to clinicians within five years

Medical

Simple EEG brain scan can tell if antidepressant drugs work for you

Following on from prior research finding brain wave patterns can signal whether antidepressant medication will be effective, a study is reporting the development of an algorithm that can predict patient response to antidepressants based on EEG data.

A compelling study has found that just five 20-minute magnetic stimulation sessions restored an older person's memory to the level of a younger control group

Medical

Age-related memory decline reversed with magnetic pulses to the brain

Researchers at Northwestern University have used a non-invasive form of magnetic brain stimulation to improve the memory of older adults. After just five short sessions the older adults scored as well as a younger cohort on a variety of memory tasks.

Neuroscientist Rob Reinhart has discovered a way to mend broken pathways in the brain and restore memory function

Medical

Electrical brain stimulation winds memory function back 50 years

A new study conducted by scientists at Boston University has outlined a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that was able to restore working memory in 70-year-old subjects, so much so they functioned like a healthy 20-year-old.