Neurostimulation of the Brain to Supress Parkinson's Disease

Most of this work in progress went in one ear and out the other, it was very hard to follow with all of the big words. I will summarize what I could understand. The part of the brain that makes a neurons known as the dopamine secreting cells in the pars compacta region of the substantia nigra, named for the black area where it is found in the brain. The pathway that these neurons are responsible to send signals along is the main pathway to the ventral nervous system. The blocking or loss of these neurons is a serious problem, a problem commonly known as Parkinson's disease. A subject who is suffering from Parkinson's, those of which include Michael J. Fox and Muhammed Ali, can take dopamine pills to supplement the loss of the neurons. But after a while the dopamine stops working and an alternative must be found. Lately, they have tried installing a neurostimulator to run electricity through the brain at the location where the neurons are supposed to be, this counteracts the effects of the Parkinson's disease. The power of the shock and the frequency needs to be changed every once in a while. The controlling unit was placed in the chest of the subject, but the team who is working on the new neurostimulator have an ingenious plan. They plan to put a microprocessor inside the case that can read certain codes that the sending device tells it to do. A bluetooth capable device is attached to the processor and stimulator so that a doctor may wirelessly change the settings of the stimulator without having to take the object out of the subject. This also lessens the frequency in which the battery fueling the stimulator needs to be replaced. They tested a couple prototypes on mice with mixed results, but it is only in the prototype stage. Hopefully they can perfect this device so that they may be able to alleviate many Parkinson's disease patients of their symptoms after the dopamine supplements fail to solve the problem. There is much money in the future of this device if they can get it working properly.