Human brain on technology background Nchendio / iStock
Professionals in healthcare have been trying to crack an efficient way to treat Parkinson’s to ease the symptoms of the victims.
Now, in a new study, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) as part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) BRAIN Initiative have come up with a new treatment called adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) for Parkinson’s disease.
The treatment uses an implantable device driven by the patient’s brain activity. This could deliver a constant and advanced way to treat those suffering from Parkinson’s disease (PD).
‘Closed loop’ system to treat Parkinson’s disease
Also called a “closed loop” system, the new treatment, aDBS strives to enhance an already existing technique used for Parkinson’s disease and other brain disorders.
According to the study, aDBS was markedly more effective at controlling Parkinson’s disease symptoms compared to conventional DBS treatments.
Megan Frankowski, Ph.D., program director for NIH’s Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative, or The BRAIN Initiative stated,“This study marks a big step forward towards developing a DBS system that adapts to what the individual patient needs at a given time.”
“By helping to control residual symptoms while not exacerbating others, adaptive DBS has the potential to improve the quality of life for some people living with Parkinson’s disease.”
In simple terms, the technique uses an implanted device regulated by the brain’s activity to provide continuous and personalized treatment, improving symptoms more effectively than conventional DBS.
As part of the study, four people were first given conventional DBS treatment and then set up with the new aDBS treatment co-existing with the DBS therapy.
The implanted device responds to changes in brain signals, adjusting the amount of stimulation throughout the day, allowing individuals to go about their daily activities. Credit: Phillp Starr Lab
AI allows for real-time adjustment in implantable device
Scientists used artificial intelligence (AI) to train the aDBS model, mainly a subset of AI aided in analysis and learning from the brain activity patterns of the participants.
The algorithm allowed the aDBS implantable device to recognize certain brain signals linked to the symptoms of Parkinson’s and help calibrate the level of electrical stimulation in real-time.
The real-time calibration allows scientists to better manage the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
AI enables the constant refining of responses based on ongoing data received from the brain, ensuring a more custom-tailored approach for the patient’s needs.
This adaptive capability distinguishes aDBS from traditional DBS, which does not adjust automatically based on real-time brain activity.
In the participant study, the aDBS therapy seemed to have improved each participant’s most persistent symptom by nearly 50 percent in contrast to conventional DBS therapy.
According to a statement by the scientists, a previous study described the treatment’s ability to record brain activity in people as they went about their daily lives.
However, fine-tuning will still be needed ahead of scaling up the device to ensure adequate custom treatment for people suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
“One of the big issues facing DBS, even in approved indications like Parkinson’s, is access, both for patients in terms of where they can get it and also the physicians who need special training to program these devices,” Frankowski stated.
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“If there were a way for a system to find the most optimal settings at the press of a button, that would really increase the availability of this treatment for more people.”
The study was earlier published in the journal – Nature Medicine.
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Shubhangi Dua As a quirky and imaginative multi-media journalist with a Masters in Magazine Journalism, I'm always cooking up fresh ideas and finding innovative ways to tell stories. I've dabbled in various realms of media, from wielding a pen as a writer to capturing moments as a photographer, and even strategizing on social media. With my creative spirit and eye for detail, I've worked across the dynamic landscape of multimedia journalism and written about sports, lifestyle, art, culture, health and wellbeing at Further Magazine, Alt.Cardiff and The Hindu. I'm on a mission to create a media landscape that's as diverse as a spotify playlist. From India to Wales and now England, my journey has been filled with adventures that inspire my paintings, cooking, and writing.
