[ad_1]
When detecting an abnormality, the device monitors the electrical activity of the brain and generates current to stimulate areas of the brain, thereby preventing involuntary involuntary movements.
When detecting an abnormality, the device monitors the electrical activity of the brain and generates a current to stimulate areas of the brain, thereby avoiding unwanted involuntary movements.
Worldwide, more than six million people suffer from Parkinson's disease, of which tremor is the most visible symptom. It is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease.
Fifty million more people suffer from epilepsy, characterized by seizures. But now, a new device, called WAND, gives hope to those affected by these neurological diseases: it promises to be "extremely effective" in preventing tremors and convulsions.
This neurostimulator, developed by scientists from the University of California at Berkeley in the United States, is capable of monitoring the electrical activity of the brain and simultaneously providing the brain with energy to stimulate certain areas of the brain if it detects an abnormality. 19659006] Defined as a "wireless artifact-free neuromodulation device", which derives its acronym, WAND monitors brain activity in 128 points at a time. "We want the chip to know what is the best way to stimulate the brain in a given patient, and this can only be done by controlling and recording their neural activity," says Rikky Muller, badistant professor of engineering. Electrical and Computer Science at Berkeley
Necessary Adjustments
The electrical signals that precede a tremor can be extremely subtle, so that the frequency and intensity of the electrical stimulation needed for the
To test the effectiveness of the neurostimulator, the research team used it to identify and delay the movement of the neurostimulator. An arm in primates
WAND is wireless and autonomous, which means that when it learns to identify tremor signals, it adjusts the parameters of electrical stimulation alone to avoid involuntary movements.
"our goal is to create smart devices that uncover the best way to treat the patient and prevent the doctor from constantly intervening in the process," said Mu
The team Engineers hope to be able to work with doctors in the next steps in order to make "small adjustments", but warns that the sale of the device can still take years. any reproduction without the written permission of the BBC
Source link
