brain implant tagged posts

American Amber Pearson used to wash her hands until they bled, terrified by the idea of contamination from everyday items, a debilitating result of her obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

But the repetitive rituals of her condition are largely consigned to memory, thanks to a revolutionary brain implant that is being used to treat both her epilepsy and her OCD.

“I’m actually present in my daily life and that’s incredible,” the 34-year-old told AFP.

“Before, I was just constantly in my head worrying about my compulsions.”

Brain implants have hit the headlines recently with Elon Musk’s announcement that his Neuralink company had placed a chip in a pat...

This is an illustration showing how the “Window to the Brain” transparent skull implant created by UC Riverside researchers would work. Credit: UC Riverside

Transparent skull implant will allow doctors to deliver life-saving laser treatments to patients with brain disorders, eg brain cancers, traumatic brain injuries, neurodegenerative diseases and stroke. The recent studies highlight both the biocompatibility of the implant material and its ability to endure bacterial infections.

The project began when Aguilar and his team developed a transparent version of the material yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) – the same ceramic product used in hip implants and dental crowns...