New brain implant sees remarkable success in treating brain injuries

Brain injury or damage could come about without any warning. For example, even popping a pimple on 'danger triangle' or this common medicine could impact your brain health. Earlier, in a shocking incident, a man experiencing extreme thirst found out it was due to an issue with his brain.

With how integral brain is for our body, it is reassuring to know that scientists are hard at work finding out cures for brain maladies.

In some exciting development, a new brain implant for people with impairments from brain injuries, has seen overwhelming success in its initial testing round.

Implant for deep brain stimulation

Stanford Medicine reported on the remarkable findings from the study published in Nature Medicine, saying that the new technique used deep brain stimulation which was tailored to participating patients.

The study has had remarkable successful in treating cognitive impairments from traumatic brain injury.

One participant who suffered a brain injury following a car crash in 2001 describes her condition in its aftermath,

I couldn’t remember anything. My left foot dropped, so I’d trip over things all the time. I was always in car accidents. And I had no filter – I’d get p---ed off really easily.

She joined the trail in 2018, and since having the implant, she has experienced huge improvements in her brain function. She says,

Since the implant I haven’t had any speeding tickets. I don’t trip anymore. I can remember how much money is in my bank account. I wasn’t able to read, but after the implant I bought a book. And I don’t have that quick temper.

Patient refuse to take off implant for final stage of study

In the trial, the researchers recruited 5 participants (aged between 22- 60-years-old) who had lasting cognitive impairments more than two years after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.

The study reports,

At the end of the 90-day treatment period, the participants had improved their speeds on the test, on average, by 32%, far exceeding the 10% the researchers had aimed for.

The study was so successful that the researchers had trouble completing the last part of their study. To end the trail, the researchers needed a blind withdrawal phase, where half the participants would be randomly selected to have their devices turned off.

But 2 of the patients declined outright, unwilling to take that chance. The researchers finished the trail with the remaining 3 participants, and the findings remained consistent.

The implant offers hope for improvement in brain impairments in patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.

Read more:

⋙ This man did not realise he had chopstick stuck in his brain for 5 months

⋙ This girl underwent brain surgery while fully awake, here’s her freaky description of what it was like

⋙ Study suggests that poor oral health could lead to brain decline

Sources used:

Stanford Medicine:' Brain implants revive cognitive abilities long after traumatic brain injury'

The Telegraph: ' Brain injury implant so successful that patients refuse to turn it off after trial'