Rewiring a Damaged Brain

An anonymous reader writes "Researchers in the Midwest are developing microelectronic circuitry to guide the growth of axons in a brain damaged by trauma. The goal is to rewire the brain connectivity and bypass the damaged region in order to restore normal behavior and movement. 'The device, which [professor Pedram Mohseni] calls a brain-machine-brain interface, includes a microchip on a circuit board smaller than a quarter. The microchip amplifies signals, called neural action potentials, produced by the neurons in one part of the brain and uses an algorithm to separate these signals — brain spike activity — from noise and other artifacts. Upon spike discrimination, the microchip sends a current pulse to stimulate neurons in another part of the brain, artificially connecting the two brain regions.'"

Comments

Not good enough...

[SpasticMutant]

Too bad it's only for physical trauma. Emotional trauma is yours to keep!

Re:Except, No

[martas]

I disagree. AFAIK, there are many natural healing processes in the human body that can be accelerated with external stimulation. Can't be bothered to find examples now, but fairly certain that it's true. It I am indeed right, then it's not unreasonable to expect that a similar approach can speed up healing in the brain.

Regarding your claim about the formation of 'neuromas', I don't see how you can be so certain that that would be the result of the treatment in question. What evidence could you possibly have, considering this is a brand-new idea?

Re:Except, No

[Anonymous Coward]

The brain already does this itself. It's called neural plasticity. If they brain can do it, it will. If it can't, sticking wires into it and applying shocks and other intrusions and insults is not going to make it happen. Not properly anyway.

That makes just as much sense as saying that "the body heals cuts naturally, so stitching flesh together is not going to fix anything, not properly anyhow".

Re:Paradox

[Amorymeltzer]

The regulatory aspects in particular are why I never get too excited by things like this.

"Regulatory aspects?" It's Rewiring a Damaged Brain - literally brain surgery with some chip-building tossed in. Yes there are regulations, but progress is slow because it is hard to find brains to screw around with. This is not a process you take lightly.