Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective but not perfect therapy. A large new study found that over 4-7 years, a majority of patients experienced adverse events, though most were not severe. Key facts: 86% of 123 DBS patients experienced adverse events over an average 4.7 year follow-up. There was no mortality directly from DBS …
Deep brain stimulation (DBS), a surgical procedure that implants electrodes in the brain to deliver electrical stimulation, may offer hope for people with severe depression that has not responded to multiple treatments. However, larger and more rigorous studies are still needed to confirm its benefits and long-term safety. Key Facts: DBS targets areas of the …
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a challenging psychiatric illness affecting 2% of the population. While some patients respond to therapy and medications, others continue to suffer from severe, treatment-resistant symptoms. Exciting new research shows that directly modulating brain activity through neuromodulation techniques can provide relief for these patients. Key Facts: OCD involves dysfunction in brain networks …
A new study shows that delivering brain stimulation with mild electric current to the forehead at home could be an effective treatment option for people with depression. Key facts: The study tested at-home transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in 16 people with moderate to severe depression. Participants had 28 sessions of tDCS over 6 weeks, …
Tinnitus, a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears, affects millions of people worldwide. A new study tested a combination therapy of trigeminal nerve stimulation and tailored sound therapy that shows promise for reducing tinnitus symptoms and improving quality of life. Key facts: Tinnitus affects approximately 10% of adults, with 2.4% experiencing severe effects on …
Tardive dyskinesia is a disorder caused by taking certain psychiatric drugs long-term. It involves uncontrollable body movements that can severely impact a person’s quality of life. Deep brain stimulation is a promising new treatment option for severe, drug-resistant tardive dyskinesia. Key Facts: Tardive dyskinesia causes involuntary, repetitive body movements, often of the face, lips, and …
Researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) chip that mimics the human brain for more energy-efficient speech recognition. The analog AI chip uses phase-change memory devices to perform computations in parallel, dramatically reducing power consumption. In tests, the chip achieved up to 12.4 trillion operations per second per watt, 14 times more energy-efficient than …
Researchers have reconstructed a recognizable version of the Pink Floyd song “Another Brick in the Wall” directly from recorded brain activity. Using advanced machine learning techniques, the team was able to extract enough acoustic information from listeners’ brain signals to identify the song and recreate an intelligible version. Key highlights: Researchers recorded brain activity via …
Summary: Advances in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology could one day give voice to those who have lost the ability to speak. New research brings us one step closer to this goal by reconstructing identifiable words and sentences directly from brain activity. Major Findings: Researchers optimized deep learning models to reconstruct speech sounds from brain recordings …
