Neurotechnology and It's Role in Treating Neurological Disorders

Written by: Shariffah Adriana Syed Nazeer

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Introduction

Neurological Disorders have been on the rise significantly over the past decade. It encompasses a diverse spectrum of conditions that affect the nervous system, which encompasses  the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. These conditions often lead to severe impairments in motor function, cognition, sensation, and emotional regulation. Well-known neurological disorders include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis (MS), epilepsy, etc. 

Despite substantial advances in medical science, many neurological disorders remain untreated due to limited curative treatments. Patients would mostly have to rely on managing symptoms rather than addressing the root cause of the disease. This takes a toll on the patient's quality of life and presents an added challenge to their caregivers. Therefore, there's an urgent need for innovative approaches, which is where neurotechnology plays a crucial role. Neurotechnology is a rapidly expanding field that merges engineering, medicine and neuroscience to develop tools that help us understand the nervous system. 

Neurotechnology includes devices and techniques designed to decode neural signals, stimulate neural tissue, and facilitate neural repair. These technologies include brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), neurostimulators such as deep brain stimulation (DBS), advanced neuroimaging tools, and gene therapy. All the methods mentioned above are most commonly used to restore lost functions, alleviate symptoms, and improve the quality of life of the patients.

One of the applications of neurotechnology is brain-computer interfaces, also known as BCIs. This allows for direct communication between the brain and external devices, bypassing damaged neural pathways. Individuals with paralysis or neurodegenerative disorders control prosthetic limbs, communicate, or operate computers through neural signals (Hochberg et al., 2012). Recent BCI advancements have helped ALS patients regain some communication and autonomy abilities.

Deep brain Stimulation(DBS) is originally used to help Parkinson's patients in reducing motor symptoms. It involves implanting electrodes into specific brain regions to deliver electrical impulses that modulate abnormal activity. Although DBS was originally intended for Parkinson's it is now being explored for other diseases such as dystonia, epilepsy, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (Os und et al., 2020)

Neurostimulation is also one of the methods used for epilepsy and other disorders. Techniques like vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and responsive neurostimulation (RNS) can reduce the frequency of seizures by altering neural excitability. These approaches provide critical options for patients unresponsive to conventional medications (Ben-Menachem et al., 2010).

Research in neurotechnology continues to advance, yielding promising developments. However, several challenges must be acknowledged, the first one being ethical considerations. Issues surrounding neural data privacy, consent and potential misuse of neural manipulation techniques which requires careful regulation. Safety and long-term effects also pose a concern, as with any invasive intervention, ensuring safety, durability, and minimal side effects is of the utmost importance to any neurotechnological device.

Conclusion

Neurotechnology is revolutionizing the landscape of neurological disorder treatment. With precise understanding and modulation of neural activity, these neuro-technological advancements offer new hope for symptom management, functional restoration, and possibly disease modification. With the strides taken in the research field, integrating neurotechnology into the medical field would transform neurology, providing a more personalised therapy for those suffering from neurological disorders.

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Citations:

• Hochberg, L. R., et al. (2012).Reach and grasp by people with tetraplegia using a neurally controlled robotic arm.Nature, 485(7398), 372-375

• Os und, R., et al. (2020). Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, 20(3), 1-10.

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4980304/

• Ben-Menachem, E., et al. (2010)Vagus nerve stimulation for epilepsy: a systematic review. Epilepsia, 51(9), 1620-1628.