brain wavesIn the future, it seems that it might be possible for those suffering from depression, pain, epilepsy, or other neurological problems to have their medication delivered directly to their brain via remote control. This is thanks to the efforts of scientists at Washington University in St. Louis who have recently created such a device.

The researchers have yet conduct human trial but they have successfully managed to implant the device, which is about the width of a hair, into the brains of mice. The idea is to deliver the drug directly to specific parts of the brain, which according to the researchers will help reduce the side effects from certain types of drugs.

According to co-principal investigator Michael R. Bruchas, PhD, who is also the associate professor of anesthesiology and neurobiology, “In the future, it should be possible to manufacture therapeutic drugs that could be activated with light. With one of these tiny devices implanted, we could theoretically deliver a drug to a specific brain region and activate that drug with light as needed. This approach potentially could deliver therapies that are much more targeted but have fewer side effects.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The device can also be used to activate certain brain cells by flashing lights which are also triggered by the remote. The implant has also been designed specially to be soft like brain tissue, thus allowing to reside in the brain for prolonged periods of time without causing damage or inflammation.

Filed in Medical. Read more about .

Discover more from Ubergizmo

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading