Controlling Brain Activity With Magnetic Nanoparticles

sciencehabit writes: Deep brain stimulation, which now involves surgically inserting electrodes several inches into a person's brain and connecting them to a power source outside the skull, can be an extremely effective treatment for disorders such as Parkinson's disease, obsessive compulsive disorder, and depression. The expensive, invasive procedure doesn't always work, however, and can be risky. Now, a study in mice (abstract) points to a less invasive way to massage neuronal activity, by injecting metal nanoparticles into the brain and controlling them with magnetic fields. The technique could eventually provide a wireless, nonsurgical alternative to traditional deep brain stimulation surgery, researchers say.

Comments

Well that de-escalated slowly

[Sowelu]

You know it's bad when "injecting metal nanoparticles into the brain and controlling them with magnetic fields" is LESS invasive.

Well, this can't possibly go wrong

[Catbeller]

So, we can inject a brain and then play games with it magnetically. I'm sure no one will use it to punish people, alter their behavior at will, or to try to change rebellious people into get-along types. Oh, oh, yes - or to try to quiet their kids down to get better grades and do more homework. After all, we nail them with chemicals to do those very things. No one will try to take a solid-state shortcut. 'Cause we don't trust tech that much, do we? No siree. We don't have blind faith in our programming skill and computer use, which is what is required to pull this off.

what's strange about this: RE nano particles

[modpod]

what's strange about this is anti psychotic injections: invega and risperidone consta, already contain nano particles as their method of delivering the medication to the brain/blood stream. believe me, I would have never done this to myself but otherwise I'd be without a place to live right now.