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Scientists Develop Brain-Microchip Bridge

Posted by samzenpus on from the man-and-machine dept.

dreampod writes "Canadian scientists have developed a microchip capable of monitoring the electrical and chemical communication channels between individual neurons. This is the first time scientists have been able to monitor the interaction between brain cells on such a precise and subtle level. In addition to providing the ability to see more easily the impact of drugs on various mental disorders during testing, this provides one of the first fundamental steps towards real mind-machine interface."

8 of 118 comments (clear)

  1. But not in a real brain? by MichaelSmith · · Score: 3, Informative

    TFA is vague but it looks like the cells in question are being kept alive outside the organism. I suppose this could be adapted into an implantable device, but cochlear implants almost do that anyway.

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    1. Re:But not in a real brain? by catbutt · · Score: 2, Informative

      Cochlear implants go the opposite direction. Cochlear implants are like speakers, this is like a microphone.

    2. Re:But not in a real brain? by MichaelSmith · · Score: 3, Informative

      Cochlear implants go the opposite direction. Cochlear implants are like speakers, this is like a microphone.

      Thats true but the important thing here is the interface, which works both ways. This device may have more resolution though, and it seems precise enough to talk to individual neurons, rather than nerve cells.

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    3. Re:But not in a real brain? by catbutt · · Score: 5, Informative

      Well I'm not sure what you mean by nerve cells vs. neurons (they are the same thing, by my understanding), but for every neuron there might be 1000 synapses, so that might be what you mean. I couldn't tell from the story, though.

    4. Re:But not in a real brain? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Sorry, they're the same thing. Neuron == nerve == nerve cell. A neuron consists of a cell body (the prokaryon), one axon (outgoing signal), and one or more dendrites (incoming). They connect to each other from axon to dendrite, at links called synapses. The signal is propagated by very high-resolution, high-frequency balancing and shifting ion gradients.

    5. Re:But not in a real brain? by Monkey-Man2000 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually, a nerve is not the same thing as a neuron (or "nerve cell" if you like). Nerves are bundles of axons extending from the neurons that travel to and from the sensory/muscle systems to the nervous system. For example, we have 12 cranial nerves and about 30 spinal nerves.

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  2. Read the small print by arth1 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Before jumping on this, read the small print.
    They take out a piece of brain tissue, and implant it into the machinery, not the other way around. I'm not sure about you guys, but that kind of interface doesn't seem too useful to me, although it could be useful for diagnosis.

    1. Re:Read the small print by master5o1 · · Score: 2, Informative

      If there were medical engineers they could take a device like this and package it for implantation.

      There is such a field as Biomedical Engineering.

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