Researched
Neuroprostheses and DBS
Implants that stimulate nerves or brain tissue, such as cochlear implants and deep brain stimulation, treat disease.
Open in the interactive tree →Cochlear implants, the first neural prostheses to restore a sense, were first implanted in the late 1950s and 1960s and approved for adults by the FDA in 1984. In 1987 Alim-Louis Benabid showed that high-frequency stimulation deep in the brain stops Parkinson's tremor; deep brain stimulation is now used for Parkinson's disease, tremor, dystonia and some psychiatric disorders. These devices proved that electronics can talk to the nervous system.
Prerequisites
- Transistor1947
- How nerve cells fire1952
- Cardiac pacemaker1958Implanted stimulators for the brain adapted the pacemaker's pulse generator and battery
- L-DOPA for Parkinson's1967DBS is mainly used in Parkinson's disease, where L-DOPA loses its effect over the years