New Brain Pacemaker May Help Treat Epilepsy

The device, that acts as a pacemaker to a human brain, supposedly treats several diseases such as epilepsy and Parkinson`s. The neurostimulator, which is called the WAND,  monitors the brain`s electrical activity and delivers electrical stimulation if it detects something unusual. WAND, which stands for wireless artefact-free neuromodulation device, is both wireless and autonomous, meaning that once it learns to recognise the signs of tremor or seizure, it can adjust the stimulation parameters on its own to prevent the unwanted movements.

Scientist`s have developed a wireless device that can stimulate the brain with electric current, delivering fine-tuned treatments to patients with diseases such as epilepsy and Parkinson`s. The neurostimulator, also known as the WAND, works like a `pacemaker of the brain`, monitoring the brain`s electrical activity and delivers electrical stimulation.

These devices can be extremely effective at preventing seizures in patients with a variety of neurological conditions. However, the electronic signatures that precede a seizure can be extremely subtle, depending upon the impact, plus the frequency and the strength of the simulation can be equally touchy.  Since it is a closed-loop -- meaning it can stimulate and record simultaneously, they can adjust these parameters in real-time. 

Currently, deep brain stimulators either stop recording while delivering the electrical stimulation, or record at a different part of the brain from where the stimulation is applied --essentially measuring the small ripples at a different point in the pond from the splashing.

In order to deliver closed-loop stimulation-based therapies, which is a big goal for people treating Parkinson`s and epilepsy and a variety of neurological disorders, it is very important to both perform neural recordings and stimulation simultaneously, which currently no single commercial device does, researchers said.


If You Like This Story, Support NYOOOZ

NYOOOZ SUPPORTER

NYOOOZ FRIEND

Your support to NYOOOZ will help us to continue create and publish news for and from smaller cities, which also need equal voice as much as citizens living in bigger cities have through mainstream media organizations.

Related Articles