Better brain implants with the help of neurons
July 10th, 2011 - 3:30 pm ICT by IANS
Washington, July 10 (IANS) How on earth do busy nerve cells pick and respond to relevant signals amid the relentless bombardment of information?
Somehow neurons (nerve cells) do manage to accomplish the daunting task, and they do it with more finesse than anyone ever realized, as new research by University of Michigan shows.
The findings of mathematician Daniel Forger and co-authors add to basic knowledge about how neurons work.
It also suggests ways of better designing the brain implants, used to treat diseases such as Parkinson’s, the journal Public Library of Science Computational Biology reports.
Forger and co-authors David Paydarfar at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and John Clay at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke studied neuronal responses, according to a Michigan statement.
Among the key findings are that neurons are adept at their job.
“They can pick out a signal from hundreds of other similar signals,” said Forger, research assistant professor of computational medicine and bioinformatics.
Neurons discriminate among signals based on the signals’ “shape,” (how a signal changes over time), and the authors found that, contrary to prior belief, a neuron’s preference depends on context.
“We found that neurons can prefer one signal - call it signal A - when compared with a certain group of signals, and a different signal - call it signal B - when compared with another group of signals,” Forger said.
This is true even when signal A and signal B are not at all alike.
“We found that the optimal stimulus is context-dependent. So the best signal will differ, depending on the part of the brain where the implant is placed,” he said.
“Our results determine the optimal signals to stimulate a neuron,” Forger said.
“These signals are much more effective and require less battery power than what is currently used,” he added.
Such efficiency would translate into less frequent surgery to replace batteries in patients with brain implants, according to Forger.
–Indo-Asian News service
st/sak/vm
- How nerve cells unravel jumbled information - Nov 21, 2011
- Brain can compensate loss of new cells - Mar 20, 2011
- Protein that keeps neuro signals intact offers clue into brain disorders - Mar 15, 2011
- Invisible infrared light could soon activate heart, ear cells - Mar 28, 2011
- Stem cell implants can heal traumatic brain injury - Jan 16, 2012
- Binge drinking affects female teens negatively - Jul 17, 2011
- Found! Cells that drive brain's adaptability - Jan 02, 2012
- Some nerve! Now bypass stem cells - Feb 01, 2012
- Technique 'poised to untangle brain's complexity' developed - Apr 11, 2011
- Scientists peer into real time brain cell activity - May 31, 2011
- Human umbilical cord blood cells boost survival, maturation of key brain cells - Dec 15, 2010
- Tiny smart chip to combat chronic pain - Dec 17, 2010
- MIT geeks build chip to mimic brain cell - Nov 16, 2011
- Prosthetic retina shows promise in restoring sight - May 18, 2012
- Scientists develop toothy way to treat spinal injuries - Dec 04, 2011
Tags: battery power, brain implants, changes over time, computational biology, computational medicine, daunting task, forger, john clay, massachusetts medical school, national institute of neurological disorders, national institute of neurological disorders and stroke, nerve cells, neuron, neuronal responses, neurons, public library of science, research assistant professor, signal changes, university of massachusetts, university of massachusetts medical school