The human brain's complexity makes it extremely difficult to study - not
only because of its sheer size, but also because of the variety of signaling
methods it uses simultaneously.
Conventional neural probes are designed to record a single type of
signaling, limiting the information that can be derived from the brain at any
point in time. Now researchers at MIT may have found a way to change that.
Electroencephalogram
An electroencephalogram (EEG) detects electrical activity in the brain using electrodes attached to the scalp.
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By producing complex multimodal fibers that could be less than the width of a hair, they have created a system that could deliver optical signals and drugs directly into the brain, along with simultaneous electrical readout to continuously monitor the effects of the various inputs.
The new technology is described in a paper appearing in the journal Nature Biotechnology, written by MIT's
Polina Anikeeva and 10 others. An earlier paper by the team described the use
of similar technology for use in spinal cord research.
![Head Injury]( "Head Injury")
Head injury or traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of disability among children and young adults that leads to varying degrees of physical and mental stability. Fortunately, it is also one of the preventable brain disorder.
In addition to transmitting different kinds of signals, the new fibers are made of polymers that closely resemble the characteristics of neural tissues, Anikeeva says, allowing them to stay in the body much longer without harming the delicate tissues around them.
"We're building neural interfaces that will interact with tissues in a more organic way than devices that have been used previously," says Anikeeva, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering. To do that, her team made use of novel fiber-fabrication technology pioneered by MIT professor of materials science (and paper co-author) Yoel Fink and his team, for use in photonics and other applications.
Source: Medindia
Head Injury
Head injury or traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of disability among children and young adults that leads to varying degrees of physical and mental stability. Fortunately, it is also one of the preventable brain disorder.
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In addition to transmitting different kinds of signals, the new fibers are made of polymers that closely resemble the characteristics of neural tissues, Anikeeva says, allowing them to stay in the body much longer without harming the delicate tissues around them.
"We're building neural interfaces that will interact with tissues in a more organic way than devices that have been used previously," says Anikeeva, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering. To do that, her team made use of novel fiber-fabrication technology pioneered by MIT professor of materials science (and paper co-author) Yoel Fink and his team, for use in photonics and other applications.
Source: Medindia
Language Areas in The Brain
The mechanism of how human brain processes the language to express and comprehend the verbal, written, gestures and symbols is still a mystery.
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 NeurocysticercosisNeurocysticercosis or Cysticercosis of brain is the most common cause of epilepsy and the most common parasitic infection of the brain. Neurocysticercosis is more common in the developing countries. | Advertisement
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