Neuroscience: Converting thoughts into action
http://www.nature.com.lib-ezproxy.tamu.edu:2048/nature/journal/v442/n7099/full/442141a.html
This article is about research in implantable neuromotor prosthetics. Scientists are trying to develop electrode arrays that can be implanted into the brain of a paralysed man, allowing him to use his thoughts to directly control devices. Other researchers have experimented with monkeys by extracting intended actions from the neural activity in their brains that improves the performance of implantable neuromotor prothetics. This area of research in neuroprothetics will allow signals from the brain to control physical devices such as artificial limbs, or it could even lead to use of paralysed muscles through electrical stimulation.
Research on these implantable neuroprosthetics starts with observing the planning and control of movement in the brain of monkeys. The major region of interest in the motor cortex which controls movement. Studies have been conducted on monkeys, but now these studies must move to humans. One scientist successfully implanted tiny electrodes into a paralyzed man's primary motor cortex and tested to see if the activity of neurons could control a computer cursor. This article provides a link to videos, if you are interested.
One significant result from the study is that even though the patient was paralysed, the neural activity in his primary motor cortex was normal, so the activity in that region can still be modulated by the subject's motor intentions.
The benefits of using an implantable neuromotor prosthetic over non-invasive electrodes is that these implantable devices have a higher potential speed to translate neural activity into a movement of the body, or some device.
These devices have not, however, been tested for long term use so there are still more tests that need to be done before they are ready for regular clinical use.
This area of research is very intriguing, and makes me wonder what technological advances in neuromotor prosthetics will be made in the near future. These scientific breakthroughs will benefit so many people who have lost motor ability by connecting signals in the brain to devices and leading to more efficient devices. What is even more exciting is the fact that people who are paralyzed could potentially use their legs or arms again if more research is conducted on repairing damaged nerves. This is an area of research that I am very interested in, and I hope to be a key player in making these new discoveries.
This article is about research in implantable neuromotor prosthetics. Scientists are trying to develop electrode arrays that can be implanted into the brain of a paralysed man, allowing him to use his thoughts to directly control devices. Other researchers have experimented with monkeys by extracting intended actions from the neural activity in their brains that improves the performance of implantable neuromotor prothetics. This area of research in neuroprothetics will allow signals from the brain to control physical devices such as artificial limbs, or it could even lead to use of paralysed muscles through electrical stimulation.
Research on these implantable neuroprosthetics starts with observing the planning and control of movement in the brain of monkeys. The major region of interest in the motor cortex which controls movement. Studies have been conducted on monkeys, but now these studies must move to humans. One scientist successfully implanted tiny electrodes into a paralyzed man's primary motor cortex and tested to see if the activity of neurons could control a computer cursor. This article provides a link to videos, if you are interested.
One significant result from the study is that even though the patient was paralysed, the neural activity in his primary motor cortex was normal, so the activity in that region can still be modulated by the subject's motor intentions.
The benefits of using an implantable neuromotor prosthetic over non-invasive electrodes is that these implantable devices have a higher potential speed to translate neural activity into a movement of the body, or some device.
These devices have not, however, been tested for long term use so there are still more tests that need to be done before they are ready for regular clinical use.
This area of research is very intriguing, and makes me wonder what technological advances in neuromotor prosthetics will be made in the near future. These scientific breakthroughs will benefit so many people who have lost motor ability by connecting signals in the brain to devices and leading to more efficient devices. What is even more exciting is the fact that people who are paralyzed could potentially use their legs or arms again if more research is conducted on repairing damaged nerves. This is an area of research that I am very interested in, and I hope to be a key player in making these new discoveries.
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