This is a wonderful thing. Neurostimulation as we know it today is in my opinion an enormous blessing but if this is going to be an even better version it's very exciting. Thanks for this information Mary Ann.
Regards, Lee
"M.Schild" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
German researchers awarded for brain pacemaker
[Date: 2005-08-02]
Two German researchers have been awarded the Erwin Schrödinger Prize for their
development of a 'brain pacemaker' for the treatment of nervous disorders
such as Parkinson's disease.
The 50,000 euro prize is awarded annually for outstanding interdisciplinary
research. This year's winners are Professor Peter Tass from Jülich Research
Centre and Professor Volker Sturm from the University of Cologne.
'This year's prizewinners have succeeded excellently in combining mathematics,
physics and medicine in a cross-disciplinary approach. This enabled them to
develop a therapy to specifically counteract certain pathological processes
in Parkinson's patients,' said jury member and Dean of the Faculty of Physics
and Astronomy at the University of Heidelberg, Professor Johanna Stachel.
While treatment with drugs can help Parkinson's patients for a limited amount
of time, they eventually lose their effectiveness and also result in massive
side effects.
An alternative treatment involves deep stimulation through the small electrode
implants in the brain. The electrodes transmit impulses at high frequencies
into the diseased brain region and suppress the nerve impulses that cause
Parkinson's sufferers to shake involuntarily.
In the past, this treatment has involved 'continuous fire' from the
electrodes. However, even this treatment has limits - some patients fail to
respond at all to the treatment, while others find that the therapeutic
effects fade or disappear completely during treatment.
The method developed by Professors Tass and Sturm involves the delivery of
individual electrical impulses to various groups of nerve cells as required.
The scientists first simulated the synchronous firing of the affected brain
areas in mathematical models. Using methods from mathematics and physics they
developed stimulation techniques that use the self-organisational processes
of the neuron chains and are therefore particularly effective and compatible.
This new method does not suppress nerve impulses, as is the case of the
conventional implants, but instead desynchronises them. Initial clinical
trials showed that the tremors usually experienced by Parkinson's or multiple
sclerosis patients were much better suppressed and required a much lower
stimulation current. Professors Tass and Sturm believe that this mild but
efficient modulation of nerve cell activity will lead to fewer side effects
in long-term application of the treatment.
The scientists intend to set up a company that will produce the brain
pacemaker for clinical application. A medical ward has already opened at
Jülich Research Centre, allowing the researchers to optimise and further
advance their devices.
Category: Miscellaneous
Data Source Provider: Helmholtz Association
Document Reference: Based on information from the Helmholtz Association
Programme or Service Acronym: MS-D C
Subject Index : Medicine, Health; Scientific Research
RCN: 24228
CORDIS RTD-NEWS/© European Communities
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