An Ultrathin Brain Implant Monitors Seizures
The device can conform to the shape of the brain, enabling better recording of electrical activity.
- Lauren Gravitz for technologyreview.com November 18th, 2011
- Source: http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/39158/
A new, ultrathin, ultraflexible implant loaded with sensors can record the electrical storm that erupts in the brain during a seizure with nearly 50-fold greater resolution than was previously possible. The level of detail could revolutionize epilepsy treatment by allowing for less invasive procedures to detect and treat seizures. It could also lead to a deeper understanding of brain function and result in brain-computer interfaces with unprecedented capacity.
For epilepsy patients who don't respond to medication, neurologists will often try to map where in the brain the seizure originated so that region can be surgically removed. The doctor removes a section of skull and places a bulky sensor array on the surface of the patient's frontal cortex.
