Brain Stimulation News and Research

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Novel treatment strategies could help prevent abuse of opioids, other substances

Concerns over the opioid epidemic have sparked a strong scientific interest in why some people become addicted while others don't. Now, researchers are proposing novel treatment strategies that could help prevent abuse of opioids and other substances.

8 Oct 2019

Deep brain stimulation effective in resistant depression

A new study in the American Journal of Psychiatry says deep brain stimulation is an effective treatment in depressed patients who do not respond to other forms of therapy. The study published on October 4, 2019, looked at the long-term effects on patients who had received electrical stimulation to the subcallosal cingulate area of the brain. The subcallosal cingulate area of the brain is also called Brodmann Area 25, and has been targeted by researchers as a possible focus for antidepressant stimulation.

7 Oct 2019

Brain stimulation increases functional connectivity of memory network

Magnetic stimulation of the posterior parietal cortex increases functional connectivity of a neural network implicated in memory, shows human research published in eNeuro.

From Society for Neuroscience 4 Oct 2019

Long-term study data shows DBS is effective for patients with treatment-resistant depression

A study published online on Friday, October 4, in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that deep brain stimulation (DBS) of an area in the brain called the subcallosal cingulate (SCC) provides a robust antidepressant effect that is sustained over a long period of time in patients with treatment-resistant depression--the most severely depressed patients who have not responded to other treatments.

4 Oct 2019

New method offers promising treatment options to reverse pathological brain states

A fundamental question in neuroscience is how to force the transition from one brain state to another, for example, from sleep to wakefulness, or in the face of brain pathologies, such as psychiatric diseases and impaired consciousness.

4 Oct 2019

New review provides knowledge about sex-related differences in Parkinson's disease

There is growing evidence that Parkinson's disease affects women and men differently. In this insightful review, published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, scientists present the most recent knowledge about these sex-related differences and highlight the significance of estrogens, which play an important role in the sex differences in PD.

25 Sep 2019

$Deep brain stimulation found to be safe, effective in the treatment of refractory severe tinnitus$

Deep brain stimulation found to be safe, effective in the treatment of refractory severe tinnitus

Researchers from the University of California San Francisco and Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco investigated the safety and efficacy of deep brain stimulation in the treatment of refractory severe tinnitus in a small group of patients.

24 Sep 2019

New device uses electromagnetic waves to reverse Alzheimer’s

A new study, to be published in the September 3, 2019, issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, provides something to cheer about for the estimated 44 million patients who have Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the US, and their hard-pressed caregivers.

18 Sep 2019

Brain-computer interface: huge potential benefits and formidable challenges

A new Royal Society report called “iHuman: blurring lines between mind and machine” is for the first time systematically exploring whether it is “right” or not to use neural interfaces – machines implanted in or worn over the body to pick up or stimulate nervous activity in the brain or other parts of the nervous system.

11 Sep 2019

New oral splint can reduce tics in children and adults with Tourette syndrome

Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by vocal and motor tics, which can contribute to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

10 Sep 2019

Study offers hope for people suffering from chronic pain

When you experience severe pain, like breaking or shattering a bone, the pain isn't just felt at the sight of the injury.

9 Sep 2019

Deep brain magnetic stimulation can improve symptoms of OCD

Researchers have found that focusing powerful non-invasive magnet stimulation on a specific brain area can improve the symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

8 Sep 2019

Mesh electronics could make brain stimulation the new therapeutic norm

Implantable brain electrodes have been around for quite some time now, both for diagnosing and treating neuropsychiatric conditions like Parkinson’s disease. However, one limitation of conventional probes is their size and rigidity, compared to the soft, gelatinous consistency of the brain.

6 Sep 2019

Eliminating visual stimuli may help offset symptoms of spatial neglect in stroke patients

A recent report by Kessler researchers and clinicians described the effects of binocular occlusion in a patient with spatial neglect and severe posture impairment.

30 Aug 2019

White matter influences how people respond to non-invasive electrical brain stimulation

Tiny changes in the microscopic structure of the human brain may affect how patients respond to an emerging therapy for neurological problems.

29 Aug 2019

Multi-site study of noninvasive brain stimulation to improve upper limb function after spinal cord injury

Kessler Foundation is one of three sites participating in a study of noninvasive brain stimulation to improve upper limb function funded by the U.S. Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs titled, "Improving Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Interventions by Retraining the Brain." Ela Plow, PhD, is principal investigator for the Cleveland Clinic; Svetlana Pundik, PhD, is principal investigator for the Louis B. Stokes VA Cleveland Medical Center; and Gail Forrest, PhD, is principal investigator for the Foundation, which received a sub-award of $778,000. Dr. Forrest is director of the new Center for Spinal Stimulation at Kessler Foundation.

27 Aug 2019

Johns Hopkins researchers reveal why deep brain stimulation improves Parkinson’s symptoms

In a new study of seven people with Parkinson’s disease, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report evidence that deep brain stimulation using electrical impulses jumpstarts the nerve cells that produce the chemical messenger dopamine to reduce tremors and muscle rigidity that are the hallmark of Parkinson’s disease, and increases feelings of well-being.

From Johns Hopkins Medicine 21 Aug 2019

Implantable brain chip could solve obesity epidemic

Scientists have developed tiny brain chips that alter the area of the brain involved in binge eating. The device is now being tested in humans with obesity.

19 Aug 2019

Study could improve patients' abilities to manage symptoms of mental illness

Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the United States experience mental illness in a given year. Severe mental illnesses cause the brain to have trouble dealing with cognitively effortful states, like focusing attention over long periods of time, discriminating between two things that are difficult to tell apart, and responding quickly to information that is coming in fast.

18 Aug 2019

Motor learning can be improved with brain stimulation

The ability to learn new motor skills is a lifelong prerequisite for mastering everyday tasks independently and flexibly.

9 Aug 2019