Scientists develop brain implants that could revolutionize Parkinson’s treatment

Although there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, the upcoming experiment offers hope to More than 10 million people Life with the disorder that a breakthrough can be on the horizon.

A team of researchers led by scientists at the University of Cambridge plan to develop a new type of brain implant from small groups of brain cells to treat Parkinson’s disease. This approach, detailed at a university statement From January 23, aims to repair neural pathways damaged by aggressive disease and will first be tested on animals.

“Our ultimate goal is to create accurate brain therapies that can restore the normal brain function in people with Parkinson’s,” says George Maliaras of the University of Cambridge, who will lead the project with his colleague in the statement researcher Cambridge Roger Barker.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by the breakdown and death of neurons in the brain, especially those that produce dopamine. Reduced dopamine levels impair normal brain activity by affecting motor control and causing movement problems. Scientists do not know what the disease is triggered and there is no cure at the moment. While dopamine -based medicines are effective at the beginning of treatment, they often lead to significant and unpleasant side effects over time.

Scientists have been Searching for a lightweight For Parkinson’s disease for more than a century. Researchers examine Cell recovery therapy As a potential treatment that replaces dead dopamine cells with new ones. However, these current approaches failed to integrate fully transplanted cells with the nervous system of the brain.

The Malliaras and Barker team hopes to deal with this problem by developing transplants made by midbrain organoids – small groups of brain cells. Like cell replacement therapy, researchers plan to transplant these organoids into the middle brain in the brain. They will then use “advanced materials and electrical stimulation” to maintain the connection of transplanted cells to the nervous system and the restoration of lost neural pathways.

“To date, there are few serious investments in methodologies that interact precisely with the human brain, beyond the approaches of” brute power “or highly invasive implants,” says Jacques Carolan, Program Director of the Advanced Research + Invention (ARI). Aria is the British Research and Development Agency, funding the Parkinson implant project. “We show that it is possible to develop elegant means of understanding, identifying and treating many of the most complex and devastating brain disorders. In the end, this could lead to a transformative impact on people with living experiences of brain disorders. “

It remains to be seen how the team will develop the implant after the project officially launches. Let’s hope that within a few years – or maybe even months – we will report the success of the first animal tests.