Wearable aims to tackle head injuries in sport
12/04/2021
Wearable tech which measures and tracks head impact force in sport and recreational activities is set to aid research and support informed decisions on the risk of brain injury. Based at the Edinburgh Business School (EBS) Incubator within Heriot-Watt University, the technology has been developed by start-up company HIT.
Experimental hearing implant succeeds in registering brain waves
05/04/2021
Researchers at KU Leuven (Belgium) have succeeded for the first time in measuring brain waves directly via a cochlear implant. These brainwaves indicate in an objective way how good or bad a person's hearing is. The research results are important for the further development of smart hearing aids.
A less-invasive technique to decode the brain's intentions
24/03/2021
Mapping neural activity to corresponding behaviors is a major goal for neuroscientists developing brain-machine interfaces (BMIs): devices that read and interpret brain activity and transmit instructions to a computer or machine.
Alzheimer's disease: early detection using an eye exam
22/03/2021
Alzheimer's disease is still incurable, but if detected early enough, countermeasures can improve treatment and slow the progression. Unfortunately, there is still no reliable early detection test at this juncture. This might soon change thanks to a non-invasive spectroscopy of the retina.
Mobile stroke units improve outcomes among stroke patients
22/03/2021
Stroke patients treated via a mobile stroke unit (MSU) received clot-busting medications faster and more often – and recovered significantly better than patients who receive regular emergency care by standard ambulance, according to late-breaking science presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2021.
Neurological complications of COVID-19 in children
11/03/2021
While neurological complications of COVID-19 in children are rare, in contrast to adults, an international expert review of positive neuroimaging findings in children with acute and post-infectious COVID-19 found that the most common abnormalities resembled immune-mediated patterns of disease involving the brain, spine, and nerves.
Advanced tech enables remote training in endoscopic sinus surgery
09/03/2021
The world’s first international remote training session utilizing advanced 3D sinus models and a telemedicine system has taken place, highlighting a new mode of medical training in the Covid-19 era.
New cancer scan could guide brain surgery
05/03/2021
The new ultrasound technique, called shear wave elastography, could be used during brain surgery to detect residual cancerous tissue, allowing surgeons to remove as much as possible.
Restoring movement in ataxia with deep brain stimulation
05/03/2021
New research from Baylor College of Medicine scientists shows that a combination of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and exercise has potential benefits for treating ataxia, a rare genetic neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive irreversible problems with movement.
COVID-19 associated with leukoencephalopathy on brain MRI
24/02/2021
According to an open-access article in ARRS' American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR), COVID-19-related disseminated leukoencephalopathy (CRDL) represents an important - albeit uncommon - differential consideration in patients with neurologic manifestations of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Good connection: AI and EEG work hand in hand
17/02/2021
Artificial intelligences (AI) are able to help medical professionals detect diseases. This is based on medical data records from which the AI can draw conclusions about diseases. These conclusions are most accurate when the extraction of the data sets is directly linked to the processing.
Easy screening of sleep apnea in patients with cerebrovascular disease
05/02/2021
A new neural network developed by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital enables an easy and accurate assessment of sleep apnea severity in patients with cerebrovascular disease. The assessment is automated and based on a simple nocturnal pulse oximetry, making it possible to easily screen for sleep apnea in stroke units.
Scientists jump-start two people's brains after coma
04/02/2021
In 2016, a team led by UCLA's Martin Monti reported that a 25-year-old man recovering from a coma had made remarkable progress following a treatment to jump-start his brain using ultrasound.
"String of lights" indicates excitation propagation
02/02/2021
A type of novel molecular voltage sensor makes it possible to watch nerve cells at work. Researchers at the University of Bonn and the University of California in Los Angeles have now succeeded in significantly improving it. It allows the propagation of electrical signals in living nerve cells to be observed with high temporal and spatial resolution.
Wirelessly rechargeable soft brain implant controls brain cells
28/01/2021
A group of KAIST researchers and collaborators have engineered a tiny brain implant that can be wirelessly recharged from outside the body to control brain circuits for long periods of time without battery replacement. The device is constructed of ultra-soft and bio-compliant polymers to help provide long-term compatibility with tissue.
Automated imaging reveals TAU protein originates in the brain in Alzheimer's disease
27/01/2021
Researchers have developed an automated method that can track the development of harmful clumps of TAU protein related to Alzheimer's disease in the brain. The method revealed that TAU primarily emerged in an area of the brain called the rhinal cortex before spreading elsewhere, suggesting that targeting TAU here could potentially slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Wearables: nonsurgical treatment for cerebral infarction
20/01/2021
Preclinical efficacy validation of a light-weight wearable wireless ultrasound brain stimulator for stroke rehabilitation. Establishing the grounds for the development of wearable ultrasound stimulation technology applicable in everyday life.
Imaging: scientists paint multicolor atlas of the brain
15/01/2021
A novel technique developed by Columbia researchers known as NeuroPAL helps tease out the dynamics of neural networks in the nervous system of microscopic worms.
Wearable EEG: A comfortable way to record brain activity
09/11/2020
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that is used in cognitive research or to diagnose conditions such as epilepsy and sleep disorders. EEG electrode caps are somewhat difficult to wear, which is why they are only used in laboratories. One viable alternative are measuring devices made of printed electronics. They are more comfortable to wear and allow users to continue their daily activities.
Big Data: early warning system for the ICU
03/08/2020
Patient monitoring systems in the ICU sound up to 700 alarms on average per patient per day, which boils down to one alarm every two minutes. An excessive number of them are false alarms. This generates vast amounts of data, which can make it difficult for doctors and nurses to identify the most critical alarms to manage. It also has a negative effect on the treatment of intensive care patients.
Stroke care: When every minute counts
02/06/2020
Stroke can affect anyone – older as well as younger people. The minutes after the stroke determine whether disability or death is the result. Only if acute care, inpatient treatment and rehabilitation are carried out in a targeted and effective manner, the chances are greater that only minor damage remains or that impairments even recede.
Mobile stroke units: improved outcomes for ischemic stroke
02/06/2020
If someone is having a stroke, you call an ambulance. But getting to the hospital can be time-consuming. To prevent long-term disabilities and death, patients need to be treated as quickly as possible. According to a recent study by the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, mobile stroke units play a key role in this setting.
Comprehensive stroke care: faster, closer, better
02/06/2020
"Time is brain!" – a fundamental rule in stroke care because time is of the essence when brain regions are undersupplied with oxygen and glucose. If circulation is not restored quickly, brain damage can be permanent. However, the key point here is not just to "be fast", but also to "use the time to treat stroke effectively".
Molecular Imaging: fast and reliable stroke detection
02/06/2020
After a stroke, a patient’s life depends on getting acute care at a hospital. Vital monitoring systems ensure safe and effective treatment. An innovative tomographic imaging system is designed to help prevent the patient’s risky journey to radiology and to enable bedside monitoring of cerebral blood flow.
Deep Learning Image Reconstruction – what AI looks like in clinical routine
02/09/2019
Artificial intelligence is no longer a dream of the future in medicine. Many studies and initial application examples show that it sometimes achieves better results than human physicians. At Jena University Hospital, the work with AI is already lived practice. It is the first institution in the world to use algorithms in radiological routine to reconstruct CT images.
Healthy Living thanks to robotics – KUKA Innovation Award 2019
24/06/2019
Improving technology transfer from research to industry and driving robotics development - that's the idea behind the KUKA Innovation Award. This year’s topic is "Healthy Living". Applicants from around the world were tasked with creating a robot application for healthcare settings. Now, the finalists, who will showcase their innovations at the MEDICA 2019 trade fair have been selected.
VISUALASE: epilepsy surgery with the laser catheter
11/06/2019
Epilepsy patients are currently treated with either medication or surgical options. The aim is to remove the distinct regions of the brain that cause epileptic seizures. Laser ablation for epilepsy is a new, catheter-based surgical procedure that is now also available in Europe, preventing patients from having to undergo open brain surgery.
MobiKa – programmed to help
22/05/2019
Many illnesses or old age require help with everyday tasks. Unfortunately, family members or caregivers aren’t always available to lend a hand. The MobiKa mobile service robot is designed to offer support, deliver motivation and improve the quality of life of those in need.
Stroke: 4D brain perfusion accelerates treatment
01/04/2019
In an ischaemic stroke, rapid treatment is essential. In this moment good imaging data is particularly important to enable doctors to make the best possible decision for therapy. Modern CT scanners are increasingly being used to assess stroke patients because they can show the blood flow to the brain over time.
Functional imaging: a look at the command center
01/04/2019
All information from our body and the environment converges in our brain and is transformed into reactions in milliseconds. It is essential for medicine and research to know what our switching centre looks like. Functional methods are used to observe it more closely during work.
Functional imaging: what makes the brain tick?
01/04/2019
Our brain is the command center of our body. This is where all information and impressions are collected and converted into responses and movements. Modern imaging techniques offer physicians and researchers unique insights into the actions of the human central nervous system. The functional imaging technique allows them to watch our brain in action.
Brain mapping: preoperative planning with functional MRI
01/04/2019
A surgery already begins before the patient is lying on the operating table – namely with the planning. For example, if brain surgery is imminent, the brain must first be mapped. This makes the activity level of certain brain areas visible. Functional magnetic resonance imaging makes this possible.
Brain stimulation: treatment using electric current and magnetic fields
03/12/2018
The treatment for many neurological and mental disorders is far from being an easy feat. Drug therapies always require accurate medication adjustments, while brain surgeries have the potential for risks and complications. Non-invasive brain stimulation takes a different approach: magnetic fields and electric current change the activities in the brain - without putting the patient at risk.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation: pain relief with electricity
03/12/2018
According to estimates, every third person in the world suffers from chronic pain. The most common discomforts include back pain, headaches, and nerve pain. For many sufferers, the pain is so severe that it impacts their job, social life or mind. The pain has its own clinical significance and must be treated – with electric current for example.
Back to health – when electrical pulses provide healing
03/12/2018
Strengthening and healing thanks to the power of electrical pulses - is that really possible? When mobility is restricted or muscles are no longer as strong as they used to be, electrical treatment options can lead to improvement or even cure of diseases. But why are more and more people turning to these alternatives, what are the advantages and what are their limitations and drawbacks?
WAKE-UP study a wake-up call for acute stroke care
08/08/2018
Some solutions are simple, though not necessarily obvious. The WAKE-UP study, which included 70 participating European stroke centers, has now studied a relatively simple procedure to manage the acute care of stroke patients and avoid potential long-term effects. Best of all, it is available wherever MRI is offered.
Neurology: Early detection of Parkinson’s disease with app and data?
01/08/2018
Big Data is often likened to finding the proverbial needle in a haystack: Large volumes of data contain patterns that hold the answer to a particular question. The trick is to gather meaningful data and identify patterns. The i-PROGNOSIS research project shows how smart devices and an app team up to automatically collect data without disturbing the user.
Radiology: machine learning to support medical diagnostics
08/03/2018
Automation makes work life easier in many ways but is it also a solution for analyzing medical images? Is a computer actually reliable enough to assist in the medical decision making process? Researchers in Landshut examine how machine learning algorithms can work more reliably and support radiologists.
The surgeon's co-pilot: pin-point accuracy through electromagnetic navigation systems
04/01/2018
The position and alignment of surgical tools in the patient’s body must always be kept in view during the operation process to guarantee success and safety. With fine sensors at the tip of the instruments and an electromagnetic signal, Fiagon's electromagnetic navigation systems accurately reproduce their position in the body.