Researchers in the BrainGate Collaboration (which includes researchers from Brown University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, the Providence VA Medical Center, Stanford University, and Case Western Reserve University) have developed a new iteration of their brain-computer interface which allows a spinal injury patient to type text on a computer screen. The patient imagines writing […]
Tag: Neurology
Light-Responsive Hydrogel to Fill Cerebral Aneurysms
Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) in Korea have developed a new technique to treat cerebral aneurysms. Described in journal Advanced Materials, the treatment involves using a catheter to deliver an alignate hydrogel that is crosslinked in place within the aneurysm using light. The hydrogel is not degradable and can reside within […]
Sugar Coated Brain Implants
Researchers at McGill University in Canada have developed a method to create and deliver brain implants that are a similar in consistency to the brain itself, which is a soft gelatinous tissue. The delicate silicone implants are created using sugar molds and delivered using a sugar needle, and their delicate consistency helps to ensure that […]
Implantable Hydrogel Helps Neurons Recover After Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) often lead to cognitive disabilities and permanent neural tissue damage, for which effective therapies do not exist. The serious cognitive impairments that patients experience and the burden on caretakers can be enormous, necessitating a constant search for treatments that may help. Researchers at University of Georgia have now reported in journal […]
First Brain-Computer Robotic Stroke Rehab System Authorized by FDA
Neurolutions, a company with offices in Santa Cruz, CA and St. Louis, MO, won FDA de novo authorization to introduce its IpsiHand stroke rehab system in the United States. This is the first approval of a brain-computer interface technology for the rehabilitation of stroke patients, and it promises a faster and more complete recovery of […]
Pipeline Flex Embolization Device with Shield Technology FDA Approved
Medtronic has won FDA approval for its Pipeline Flex Embolization Device with Shield Technology. The original Pipeline Flex was the first commercially available flow diverter for brain aneurysms. Shield Technology, a novel surface treatment that now encompasses the device, helps to reduce the tendency of the device itself to produce clots. A few days ago […]
Implantable Pump Delivers Chemotherapy to Brain Tumors
Researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, and the Medical University of Graz, Austria have developed an electrical pump that can precisely deliver chemotherapeutic drugs into the brain. The technology is conceived as being implantable into brain tumor resection sites to deliver localized chemotherapy over extended periods. It is hoped that this approach can prevent tumor recurrence. […]
Tunable Vibrations Could be Key to Reducing Lower Back Pain
Researchers at the Nagoya Institute of Technology in Japan have developed a device that can diagnose and help to correct postural instability leading to back pain. The technique involves using vibration to stimulate sensory receptors that help the brain to perceive the position of the body in space, which is known as proprioception. The approach […]
mRNA Delivery System Protects Neurons After Stroke
Researchers at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University have developed a way to deliver therapeutic mRNA to the brain, in this case to produce brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which can protect neurons from ischemia. The researchers hope that the treatment could help patients who have suffered a stroke to achieve better outcomes by reducing cell […]
3D Printed Microfluidic Bioreactor for Brain Organoid Culture
Researchers at MIT and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras have developed a 3D-printed microfluidic bioreactor that can be used to culture and study brain organoids. The tiny self-organizing nodules of brain tissue are very useful in studying neurological disease and the effects of drugs. However, the bioreactors used to grow brain organoids can be […]
Ultrasound Technology to Decode Brain Activity for Brain Machine Interfaces
Researchers at Caltech have developed a non-invasive functional ultrasound system that can detect brain activity by listening to tiny changes in blood flow within the brain. The system could provide a viable alternative to invasive electrodes that are implanted into the brain for brain machine interfaces, such as those used in prosthetics. So far, the […]
Silver-Hydrogel Composite for Bioelectronic Applications
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a silver-hydrogel composite that can conduct electricity, which looks promising for use in a variety of bioelectronics applications. These include skin mounted electrodes for neuromuscular stimulation that may be helpful in treating muscular disorders or other motor issues. Soft materials are expanding the possibilities for biomedical devices that […]
Intraoral Stimulation for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Interview with Akhil Tripathi, CEO of Signifier Medical
Signifier Medical Technologies, a company with headquarters in London, UK and Massachusetts, has created a new treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, and it is the first to be used during waking hours. Unlike conventional sleep apnea devices, the eXciteOSA is designed to be used for short periods during the day and employs electrical stimulation to […]
Electrical Stimulation for Improved Function Post-Spinal Cord Injury: Interview with Dave Marver, CEO, ONWARD
You may have seen an article Medgadget published recently about a minimally invasive neuromodulation technology that has shown significant promise in improving arm and hand function in patients with spinal cord injuries. The technology, called the ARC system, has been developed by ONWARD, a medtech company started by researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of […]
Neuromuscular Tongue Stimulator for Snoring Authorized by FDA
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) impacts millions of people with wide-ranging effects that can have a serious impact on overall health. There are a number of technologies to help manage and sometimes treat the condition, including continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices. Most patients end up receiving therapies that don’t treat the underlying causes of poor […]
In-Office Treatment for Chronic Rhinitis: Interview with Brian Shields, Neurent Medical CEO
Neurent Medical, a medtech company based in Galway, Ireland, has developed the NEUROMARK system to treat chronic rhinitis via a simple in-office procedure which targets the nerves responsible for many common symptoms. Chronic rhinitis affects a huge number of people and has been estimated to affect 1 in 4 people in the U.S. Symptoms are […]
Vercise Genus Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s FDA Approved
Boston Scientific has landed FDA clearance for its Vercise Genus Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) System. This is the fourth generation of the company’s DBS devices, which are designed to have a longer battery life, improved targeting to reduce symptoms, and make programming and management easier. Vercise Genus devices are available in rechargeable and non-rechargeable varieties, and […]
Spinal Cord Stimulators Manage Pain without Tingling
Boston Scientific is releasing in the United States its Wavewriter Alpha line of spinal cord stimulators. The four Wavewriter Alpha pain management devices provide Bluetooth connectivity, allow patients to still be scanned under MRI, given certain precautions, and offer so-called Fast Acting Sub-perception Therapy (FAST). FAST is exciting because it provides near immediate pain relief […]
Electrical Stimulation Helps Regain Hand Function Post Spinal Cord Injury
Researchers at the University of Washington have trialed a minimally invasive electrical stimulation technique that has resulted in remarkable improvements in the hand and arm function of spinal cord injury patients. The approach involves sticking band-aid-like patches onto the back of the neck of patients to deliver electrical pulses, helping to stimulate the nerves below. […]
Brain-Machine Interface and Exoskeleton Improve Stroke Rehab
Stroke rehabilitation as a field of research holds great promise in improving how patients recover. Unlike other organs, the brain’s neuroplasticity allows it to functionally reshape itself in beneficial ways. But it doesn’t do it on its own, so targeted interventions that require patient participation are key to optimal outcomes. There has been a slew […]